What Happens Now?
by astarte-lydianna
Summary: Hermione/Snape will sparks fly or just angry words, how can Hermione learn to live with someone who tells her he CAN never love her? Marriage law fic that skips the wedding bit! Give it a go you might be happy you did :
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes: OK, so I had this idea that didn't want to go away. Obviously marriage law has been done however we all like to have a go and put our own ideas into it don't we so. This is pretty much canon if you ignore two little things; the epilogue and the fact that Snape dies.

Disclaimer: As usual I own nothing and make no money from writing this it's just for fun :D

A special thanks to my beta and HP expert JenJenSon because I'm not exactly the biggest HP expert

What Happens Now?

Chapter 1

Hermione Granger put her book down and sighed, it was no use trying to read when she was in a mood like this. Besides her husband would be home soon so she should probably make herself scarce anyway...at least if she didn't want another row about what was for her own good.

She didn't really know whether to be grateful or cheated...grateful she supposed that she hadn't had to go through the ordeal but still...it would have been her first time and she'd never get that back.

It had all begun not six months after Voldemort had finally been defeated; for good this time. The ministry were still trying to find their feet again and the new minister was eager to make an impression so despite everyone laughing and dismissing the wild stories as rubbish, thinking that there's no way they'd do that...the ministry in fact did. Due to the number of deaths, particularly of young witches and wizards, namely students and to help everyone play nice and avoid any prejudice of blood status the ministry created a 'Wizarding Families Law'. Basically pairing up and marrying off as many witches and wizards as they could to become nothing more than breeding stock.

Actually there were loopholes, lots of them in fact, the problem was that they were so carefully worded that you had to jump through plenty of other hoops to get through them. If you already have a future spouse in mind at the time of your seventeenth birthday or in Hermione's case when the law came into effect then you could put in an application to marry your chosen spouse within an allotted time limit. Unfortunately the couple would have to prove compatibility and fertility and various other ticks in the right boxes to be allowed. You could also appeal to delay the requirement of having children if you could provide evidence that you were unable to support a child at this time or have sufficient educational commitments yet to complete, so basically when she wanted to continue her studies the ministry had to deem it important enough to put off having children for. Anyway to the point...

Hermione Granger was not really a Granger anymore...she just still had trouble remembering that part. Her new husband had been selected by the ministry for her after Ron had been declared in unacceptable match. Although granted they probably weren't the most likely couple to make it in the long run since they had very little common ground. Still she couldn't really consider her husband an ideal match either, especially since on the wedding night to fulfil their duties he had slipped a dreamless sleep potion into her drink and she remembered nothing.

The next morning she woke to find herself in bed in a nightdress the other side of the bed empty and a small vial of potion with a note that simply said 'drink it'. After some scrutiny she deducted that it was a potion for the pain and did indeed drink it to relieve the slight soreness she felt. She had barely seen her charming husband since. When she had managed to confront him he had argued that it was for her own good because at least then she wouldn't have to go through it but she should have had the right to decide that not him.

Still Severus Snape was a very intimidating man and despite her temper she couldn't stand to argue with him for long before she got frustrated and stormed off. Well...the ministry obviously made a mistake because all they seemed to do was avoid each other or argue.

It had been nearly two weeks and since they were required to produce a pregnancy within a year before the ministry would start interfering again she imagined at some point the event would occur again. The question was would he drug her again or would he actually hand the potion to her this time so that she could use it of free will, since she probably would take it...after all her husband was not only significantly older than her by her muggle standards even if not by wizarding ones but he was...well, Snape. Professor Snape. Weird! You do not think of Snape and sex...ever. Still she was curious about the act itself. It was supposed to be wonderful when done right. Still with Professor Snape it would almost certainly never feel right so she supposed that made it somewhat a moot point.

She glanced at the clock before dropping her book on the coffee table and heading to the bathroom. This was what they did. When her husband was due to come back to his quarters for the evening after meals she would already be in the bath. She would get out and go to bed at which time he would then shower and the presumably join her in bed after she was already asleep and then already be gone when she woke. As much as sometimes she wanted to, Hermione didn't eat meals in the hall with everyone else. She hid in their rooms and continued her studies in private. She would hopefully finish her degree in less than two years, perhaps faster if she and her husband continued to play the avoiding game.

"Miss Granger!" a voice called through the bathroom door. Hermione sighed, perhaps she wouldn't get in the bath then. She swung the door open, clutching her towel around her tightly.

"I hardly think it's appropriate to call me that anymore do you?" she replied bluntly.

"Well I've called you that for the past seven years so I don't see a problem with it now." He muttered back.

"How about because Granger is no longer any part of my name...actually nor is Miss and to top it off I'm in your bathroom in only a towel. I think you can drop the formalities now don't you?" she asked.

"Fine." He agreed exasperated. "Our dearest Headmistress has asked that you join us all for dinner on Friday evening and asked me to be her little messenger."

"I'll think about it." Hermione replied. His eyes narrowed down at her and she nervously stepped one foot back.

"Well when you make your blessed mind up you can go tell her yourself." He sneered, turning on heel and leaving.

Hermione let out a deep breath and shut the bathroom door again. Well...that had gone well. Not.

Hermione tugged at her robes nervously, she didn't really go out and about in the castle when everyone else was still wandering around. If she wanted to go somewhere she usually went after curfew. Still...Minerva had asked her to join them for dinner at least this once so she really couldn't refuse.

She heard the door slam and rolled her eyes, of course it would be far too much to hope that she and her husband would go to dinner together. When Hermione reached the great hall Minerva gestured her into a seat next to her. Minerva on her left and her ever-charming husband on her right, she could feel eyes on her from curious students but thankfully Minerva kept her talking.

"I was so worried about you being cooped up until Severus explained about your degree." She murmured.

"Yes, I hope to complete it at least within the next two years." Hermione nodded.

"And what subjects are you doing? How many one or two?" the Headmistress asked.

"Three." Hermione admitted almost guiltily. "Charms, Potions and History of Magic."

"Good gracious my dear, what exactly are you planning on doing after your degree?" the older woman asked.

"Well...I was thinking of apprenticing under a master of either charms or potions to become a master well...mistress myself and then spending some time doing research on my chosen subject...that's if I can chose between the two." She grinned sheepishly. "History of Magic is just an extra to give me some better grounding, being muggleborn and all."

"Research on what?" came her husband's voice beside her suddenly.

"Well...I'm not quite sure yet but I wouldn't mind having a go and adjusting the polyjuice potion a little...or there are plenty of charms that could do with tweaking..." and just like that Hermione found herself in her first actual conversation with her husband.

The two discussed the subject for the length of the main course until Hermione suddenly stopped her dessert mid bite. Snape was the first to notice and then Minerva also.

"Does this taste odd to anyone?" Hermione asked, forcing herself to swallow her mouthful. More of the staff were looking at her now, and they all looked confused.

"It tastes the same as it normally does dear, are you alright?" Minerva asked, putting a hand on her arm.

"Um...no I think I'm coming down with something...quite suddenly actually..." Hermione said quietly. "I'll just excuse myself and bid you all goodnight."

Hermione was proud of herself for holding her stomach until she returned to her room and the minute she walked to the bathroom she allowed herself to throw up her dinner. After rinsing her mouth and thoroughly brushing her teeth Hermione decided on an early night and went straight to bed.

The next morning she was surprised to find none other than Severus Snape still in the living room when she got up. Normally he was long gone.

"I trust you are feeling better this morning?" he asked.

"Um...I feel fine thanks." She replied awkwardly, heading for the teapot and pouring herself a small cup.

"Good, if you change your mind I must insist you go to the infirmary, I do not want certain members of staff thinking that you are being neglected locked up down here." He smirked.

"Um...I'm fine." She said again, and she was. Until three days later. All she did was turn to place her wand on the bedside table...but she felt a strange stab in her stomach and let out a gasp of pain. As soon as her body was straight again the pain was gone but it was odd.

"What did you do?" a voice came from beside her causing her to jump. She had thought him asleep when she started her late night reading.

"Um...just twisted funny that's all." She murmured. But it bugged her. She lay in bed thinking about it for some time afterwards and it wasn't until the next morning that she realised why.

"What are you doing in my Office during teaching hours Miss...Hermione?" the potions professor snapped when she entered the room.

"I'm two days late. I thought you'd want to know." She shrugged. "That was all."

"You're certain?" he asked, stopping her exit midstep.

"Of my dates, absolutely. That I'm pregnant, not yet." She replied.

"Infirmary Mis-Hermione. Now." He told her, turning his attention back to his papers.

"I am perfectly capable of doing a pregnancy test without having to go to the infirmary for all to see." She snorted taking that as her cue to leave.

Inside however she was terrified. She could be pregnant, right now. Forming a new life...responsible for a baby, for the rest of her life. The only upside was that the ministry would now have no reason to bother them for the rest of their lives.

It only took Hermione a few minutes to find the recipe for the potion she needed and then after gathering the extra two ingredients that she didn't have from the potion stores while the Professor was teaching she set herself up in their bathroom. It would take just over half an hour for the potion to finish brewing, during which time she got herself some lunch by calling on the Hogwarts Elves.

It was when she returned to bottle the potion that Severus spotted her on the bathroom floor.

"What _are_ you doing?" he sneered.

"Pregnancy test. Just finished." She replied not taking her eyes away from inspecting the vial. "What are you doing here?"

"Forgive me but I was under the impression that these were my quarters and that I may come and go as I pleased." He replied.

"Of course." She mumbled. "What I meant was that you usually don't come back until after the evening meal."

"I came to see if you had been to the infirmary like I had told you to." He said evenly.

"In other words you wanted to know if I was pregnant or not." Hermione nodded. "Well...now's as good a time as any." With that she eyed the now cooled potion one last time before downing the entire vial. The pair waiting in an awkward silence, Severus felt that perhaps he should leave but couldn't tear his eyes away. He wanted to know.

A few moments later Hermione's stomach began to emit a pulsing blue light and she couldn't help but crack a slight smile.

"It worked." She exclaimed. "What happens now?"

"You should take it easy. Stop overworking yourself on trying to finish your degree faster than anyone else." He commented.

"I'm pregnant, not ill." She deadpanned.

"You're pregnant and as your husband it becomes my job to ensure both you and the baby are taken care of." He said somewhat awkwardly. Hermione had actually thought that maybe he meant it. He couldn't be all horrid after all since he was cleared of all charges after narrowly surviving the war. It was Harry of all people that helped him too!

"I'll be fine dear." She said wryly. A frown slipped onto his face and in a swirl of black he was gone.

"I was only teasing!" She called after him.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes: I don't know why I write these. No one reads them anyways!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything and I make no money from writing this

Thanks to my beta JenJenSon for helping me with this as usual and if you're HP fans check out her stories too :D

What Happens Now?

Chapter 2

Hermione tossed and turned in the bed until finally deciding that no position made her feel better. She felt so sick that she was certain she'd need to dash to the bathroom any minute. What happened to the words '_morning_ sickness'? Sure she felt a little nauseous in the mornings but she felt far worse in the evenings.

"Deep breaths." A voice came from the other side of the bed. "It'll help."

Hermione didn't reply, she didn't actually trust that she could speak without being sick but with some concentration she lay on her side and took a few deep breaths. After a few moments she managed to slow her breathing and had to admit that she felt a little better at least. She must have fallen asleep still taking deep breaths because it was the last thing she remembered.

Severus paused to look at his sleeping wife as he rose the next morning, the young girl looked so exhausted that he almost felt guilty for putting her in this position, that was until he remembered that it was really the ministry's fault not his. Even so, before he left for breakfast he summoned a house elf.

"Lolly, my wife is pregnant and needs something suitable for breakfast." He told the elf abruptly. "In fact I want you to personally see to it that she is taken care of the entire time."

"Oh yes Master Snape. Lolly will sees to it that Mistress Snape gets everything what she needs!" the elf fawned. The potions Master nodded his acceptance of this and headed to the great hall for breakfast himself.

Hermione woke at the sound of a pop next to her bed. She sat bolt upright in surprise to find herself face to face with a very apologetic house elf.

"Lolly is sorrys Mistress Snape! Lolly was just bringings Mistress some breakfast!" the elf cried.

"No Lolly! That's fine. Thank you very much." Hermione said quickly, trying to stop the elf from slapping herself.

"If you needs anything you just call Lolly Mistress. I is an expert!" the house elf winked and then vanished from sight. Hermione glanced at the bedside table to find a small plate with a glass of orange and pumpkin juice and a few small slices of toast.

After her plate was empty it disappeared by itself and Hermione climbed out of bed. In truth she actually felt better than she had in days although she was pretty tired. Who would have thought that at only seven weeks, pregnancy could affect her so much already?

Somewhat grimly she made her way to the bathroom to shower and get dressed before starting her studying for the day. How many more weeks would it take her to stop feeling sick and would something else just take its place afterwards? Her musings continued and she seemed unable to focus like she normally did. That house elf had said that she was an expert...so she knew that she was pregnant? That could only mean that Professor Snape had told her since he was the only other person that currently knew...he must have asked the house elf to bring her breakfast in bed because she had been feeling so sick.

Despite the fact that she hated the thought of house elves waiting on her due to the whole cruelty of it she still found the fact that her seemingly indifferent husband had gone through the trouble to ask anyone to help her.

Around mid morning Hermione had made about her eighth trip to the bathroom, she had thought the needing to pee all the time was for later in pregnancy not before there was even a bump present. When she returned to the sofa and her books a plate of biscuits and glass of water was waiting for her. Gratefully she nibbled on a biscuit and then relaxed back into the cushions. She decided that since she couldn't concentrate anyway she could take a break from her studying for the rest of the day and just enjoy herself.

She wanted to pay a visit to Ginny at new home in Godric's Hollow, where she and Harry had moved shortly after the wedding. Harry had been determined that this was a new beginning and that he and Ginny could spend their lives creating the happy family he had always wanted but missed out on. Luckily for them, the ministry hadn't dared disapprove of their engagement and marriage, especially since they thought that the two would more than likely have several children together quiet happily. Ron had also landed on his feet with the law, although they declined Hermione and Ron's request his match picked for him by the ministry seemed a much better match that hers and Snape's.

Ron had been matched with Luna Lovegood who was now single again after Neville and Lavender had started seeing each other. Poor Neville probably hadn't known what hit him when the ladies started coming after him after his bravery during the war and personally Hermione thought that maybe Neville needed someone overly affectionate like Lavender to give him that confidence and security that he often lacked. Luna and Ron also seemed a good match, despite the fact the Ron thought she was barking mad of course...but still Hermione and Ron were never really intellectually on the same page...or in the same book but Luna's dreamlike way of doing things kind of seemed to offset Ron's temper and his proclivity to overreact to things.

Hermione sighed, she did miss her friends being cooped up in this castle...but none of them would dare visit her in Snape's lair, even if on paper half of it was hers too.

She also hadn't told a sole that she was pregnant yet and was dying to tell Ginny but she wanted to do it face to face and didn't know if travelling by floo or apparating was safe for the baby. Unfortunately it being a school there didn't appear to be any books on the subject of pregnancy. Although given the new law...maybe there should be, she should suggest it to the Headmistress.

Actually Minerva could probably answer her question anyway...Madam Pomfrey obviously could but she wasn't too eager to go to the school infirmary where there would also be students. Funnily enough being the dungeon bat's wife made her the centre of a lot of gossip. Decision made she checked that she was presentable and headed to the Headmistress's office.

"Sour Cherries" she murmured softly at the statue.

"Hermione." Minerva smiled as she saw her enter the circular room. "To what do I owe the pleasure my dear?"

"Several reasons actually. I have a suggestion for you...and a couple of questions which brings me to my announcement really..." she rambled. "I'm pregnant." Minerva blinked a couple of times before responding. Hermione slowly seated herself while she let the news sink in.

"Congratulations." She said warmly. "I trust congratulations are appropriate?"

"Well, seeing as how the ministry isn't giving anyone much of a choice I suppose they are." Hermione replied, trying to stay positive. "I actually tried to research pregnancy in the school library but didn't find much other than a general guide to the timescales and basics really. I was looking for something more along the lines of a month by month guide that tells you want to expect and what you could be feelings, what's normal and what isn't and the do's and don'ts...with the new law in place you could end up with many seventh years either being pregnant or getting pregnant straight after school so I was thinking that maybe a couple of more helpful books would be a good idea."

"I hadn't thought about that. I had a discussion with Madam Pomfrey about the possibility of pregnant students when the law came in. We already have three seventh years married. Luckily the law prevents the husband from pulling their wives or vice versa from school against their will however...one girl has already left. I don't think she was entirely happy about it either." Minerva frowned. Hermione could immediately see what she was thinking.

"You think she was threatened into it but no one can actually prove it." The younger witch concluded. "Shame..."

"Yes, but the other two students are luckily married to each other, they requested a match and it was approved but still they could obviously be expecting a baby at any time in the next year unless they apply for delay on educational grounds." Minerva pointed out.

"That's true but even so that would mean they would be expected to conceive almost immediately after leaving school so they would probably benefit from a little education in the matter before leaving school." Hermione added, resting her elbows on the desk and her head on her arms. "For example, it can be embarrassing seeing a mediwitch about something so personal in a busy school infirmary so it would be good to have some answers to some of the more basic questions available elsewhere. I have very little knowledge on the subject of being pregnant and don't have much of an idea what to expect but if I went to see Madam Pomfrey can you imagine the gossip?"

"Which brought you to me?" Minerva asked.

"Well I wanted to visit Ginny earlier but I don't know which methods of travel are safe for the baby. I wondered if you would be able to help me."

"Floo powder is safe, as with broom or any other more manual travel. Apparation and portkey are definitely advised against due to the risk of damage to the baby." The older witch told her. "I could arrange with Poppy for you to see her after curfew if that would help, perhaps in a different room or even have her come to you. I think it would really be best if you saw her, either that or have Severus take you to St Mungos to see someone there."

"I'll have a word with him and let you know." Hermione nodded.

"How are things between you? I trust he isn't being...well himself I suppose." Minerva chuckled.

"It could be worse. It could be better but it could be much worse." Hermione said carefully. "We don't like each other, we barely talk actually or see each other for that matter...but I know he would never actually hurt me in any way and he'll do what he thinks is best for me."

"If he could ever stop being so stubborn and calm that temper he would make a good husband." Minerva agreed. "Despite being a little rough around the edges of course."

"Gossiping ladies? I think you're both far too grown up for that don't you?" a familiar voice drawled from the office doorway. Hermione spun in her chair and stared guiltily at her husband, stood in the archway looking as intimidating as ever.

"I knew you were there so it wasn't really gossip." Minerva said matter-of-factly, causing the younger witch to gape at her in disbelief. She had been set up, Dumbledore had clearly rubbed off on her.

"I think it's nice to know that our young Hermione can take this whole situation of your marriage in her stride. I think her thoughts are actually rather mature and sensible don't you my boy?" Albus's voice chimed in, causing all three occupants of the office to turn focus to his portrait.

"Be that as it may, I have been wandering the castle in search of my wife who disappeared without telling me." Severus grunted. "What say you to that Miss Granger? Hm?"

"Must you still call me that?" Hermione frowned.

"Oh yes, travelling the distance from the dungeon to the Head's office is cause for serious panic Severus." Minerva said wryly. "I think my dear that what Severus is trying to say is that he was worried."

"I was no such thing, but when my wife's plans are to stay in all day and study that is where I expect to find her." He snorted indignantly in response.

"Next time I'll remember to leave a note father." Hermione smirked; heading to the stairs and ignoring the absolutely incensed look her husband was now giving her. He was going to throw a hissy fit over that one for certain.

Minerva let out a small chuckle to herself as the pair disappeared and Albus joined in.

"You know, I do think that marriage may work out rather well." He commented fondly.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Notes: So to all of you that did read and those that liked it I thought I owed it to you to upload the next chapter right away. I was going to reread it and maybe make some changes but thought hey I'm just going to go for it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or the characters and make no money from this.

Big thanks to JenJenSon for being my beta and finding time to go through this even though her footy team were playing today. (and mine too and they drew). Anyways...

What Happens Now?

Chapter 3

Hermione never found out what it was the Snape actually wanted her for when he came looking for her. Instead as they reached the dungeons he had automatically turned to enter the potions classroom and she had been left to return to their quarters. She did however corner him later when he returned from the evening meal in the great hall.

"So are you going to explain the house elf that is magically providing me with meals and snacks throughout the day and your behaviour earlier or am I supposed to just guess?" she asked him, as he passed the sofa where she sat.

"Knock yourself out." He grunted, removing his outer robes and hanging them by the door.

"I'm being serious." She insisted. "We need to talk about this sometime, I have to go see a medi-witch eventually and you're supposed to be included in the decisions but you just seem busy acting indifferent to the whole thing when you're obviously not."

"I don't care." He mumbled.

"If you didn't care about at the very least the baby, you wouldn't have instructed Lolly to bring me healthy snacks and meals all day." She pointed out.

"That was to stop you throwing up every second of the day, you've started to look paler than me you know?" he snapped.

"And I'm grateful for that." She said, putting her book down and sitting up right. "I think I made my point earlier in the office; I know that you don't love me, I know you don't even particularly like me and I don't love you either. I do however know that you're not quite the heartless bastard you act like all the time either so can you cut the crap and just sit and have a sensible conversation about the fact that I am going to have your baby?"

Severus Snape didn't exactly know how to react to the small girl's rant. He opened his mouth to reply but shut it again uselessly while he tried to think of the best approach. Finding none he just let his body lower itself to sit next to her on the sofa.

"Speak." He sighed defeated.

"Alright, you are who you are and I don't expect that'll change all that much wife or no wife, baby or no baby, but we are having a baby and I'd rather the baby didn't know that his or her parents spend more time fighting or avoiding each other than anything else. Out there I don't care how much of an arse you are to your students, in here I don't expect miracles but I want you to be civil and try to take part in our child's life as much as you can. Is that acceptable?" Hermione asked.

"You think I'd take this out on the baby?" he asked in a stiff voice.

"That's not what I said, but I know you don't really like children so...I thought maybe you'd just be distant." She tried to explain.

"I don't like teenagers, especially hot headed ones that come into my classroom and make things blow up. Potions are dangerous, magic is dangerous and far too many students treat the whole things as fun and games. _That_ is why I'm an arse, as you put it. If my students are too scared to run riot they won't, therefore less accidents." He explained. "I don't know how to be a good father, mine was a pathetic excuse for one but I will try. I never thought I'd ever even have a child much less have one forced on me but it isn't the child's fault."

"I'm glad you agree." Hermione nodded, she reached out shyly and took his hand. "It doesn't matter that you're strict, parents are allow to be strict to prevent their children getting hurt. As long as our child knows that you care about it that's what's important. You'll be a good father."

"And try not to let the child realise our whole marriage is a complete farce." He muttered.

"It doesn't have to be. We're married end of. Not all marriages have love, not the romantic kind and let's face it, the ministry is just throwing people together that's given us a lousy start." Hermione sighed, releasing her hand. "But what we can do is start from the beginning and try to be good company for each other, try to get along. That's all we can do."

"So, I trust you've felt better today?" Severus asked awkwardly. Hermione nodded. "Good, and you need to see a medi-witch?"

"Yes, unfortunately it would appear the pregnancy is not something the Hogwarts library covers in much detail so I don't really know what to expect or what I should or shouldn't be doing. That's why I was talking to Minerva when you turned up yesterday. I didn't even know what type of travel was allowed."

"Floo or broom." He answered automatically.

"So I could have asked you that whole time?" Hermione asked in disbelief.

"I did some studying as a Healer when I was doing my Mastery in Potions." He explained dismissively. "Is there a reason why you wouldn't just go and see Poppy with these questions?"

"Well...as you can imagine a student or two seeing Professor Snape's wife regularly visiting a medi-witch..." she left the rest hanging.

"Enough said." He nodded. "Sorry if being my wife is causing you to be the centre of gossip and speculation."

"Like I told Minerva, I could have done much worse." She shrugged.

"Some would not agree." He said narrowing his eyes. Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "Into the fireplace with you."

"What, now?" she asked.

"Yes now, let's go and find you a medi-witch." He said impatiently, ushering her into the fireplace. She took a handful of powder and in a flash of flames and smoke she was stepping out into a clean white hallway. Seconds later something hit her from behind causing her to topple forward but an arm reached around her waist to hold her up before she fell very far. "Did you think to move from the fireplace Miss-Hermione? Since you knew I would be coming out behind you?"

"Sorry." Hermione mumbled, as they headed to the reception desk.

"Good evening can I help y- Oh Professor Snape!" the lady recognised him immediately. "What can I do for you today?"

"We require a medi-witch, for my wife." He told the young witch.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Of course, if you could just fill in these forms Mrs Snape and you'll need to sign them too Professor and someone will be with you as soon as possible."

"Thank you." Hermione said, as her husband just took the clipboard and stalked off without a word. As she took a seat next to him she saw that he had already started filling in the form for her. "You know all that about me?"

"Most of it, yes." He nodded, before signing the section at the bottom and passing the forms to her. There were only a few bits missing from the forms such as the first day of her last period and the part where she had to sign. Hermione went to hand the forms back over to the receptionist.

"Excellent." She smiled up at Hermione, as she quickly scanned through the forms. "I assume you would prefer a female medi-witch?"

"Please." Hermione nodded.

"First pregnancy?" the other witch asked. Hermione nodded shyly. "I assure you we've got several brilliant medi-witches that are wonderful and experienced with pregnancies. We'll be needing them in the coming months with all these new marriages."

"Of course." Hermione nodded.

"Please take a seat I'll put these forms through and someone will be out in the next five to ten minutes for you." She smiled.

"Well?" Severus asked as Hermione sat back down.

"Five to ten minutes." Hermione replied. "Could you at least you know...not try to scare the hell out of the medi-witch? This person is going to be delivering our baby so...I'd appreciate it if you'd play nice."

"As you just pointed out, this person is going to be directly responsible for the medical wellbeing of my wife and child so if they prove to be remotely incapable then no I will not play nice." He replied. Hermione just sighed in defeat.

"Mrs Snape?" a voice called a few minutes later. Hermione stood and headed over to the older witch. Severus reluctantly and menacingly followed suit. "I'm Madam Sellious but please call me Mary."

"Hermione." Hermione smiled, shaking the older witches hand. Hermione liked her instantly, she reminded her a bit of Molly Weasley, she was a similar age with dirty blonde coloured hair tied into a loose ponytail over her shoulder and the same warm roundness to her figure.

"and this must be the lucky father to be." Mary smiled, reaching out to greet Severus. He took her hand and shook it before they were both shown through to a private room. "Please take a seat. So you're expecting then Hermione? You're first?"

"Yes." Hermione nodded.

"How exciting! The first is always both the most terrifying and exciting." The medi-witch said fondly. "Right, so from your dates on here that would make you around seven weeks. So I just need to do a test for our records to confirm." She stood and retrieved a potion vial from the cupboard behind her and passed it to Hermione. Hermione drank it down in one. The same pulsing glow filled her stomach. "Excellent, so that definitely confirms the pregnancy. Have you been having any symptoms?"

"Sickness." Hermione replied. "Lots of it."

"Well, that's a sign of a strong pregnancy so as awful as it seems it's a good sign. Basically it means your hormones are all doing their jobs. To ease the nausea you should eat little and often. Perhaps instead of three main meals even split it into five or six smaller ones. Try to have a tiny snack before you even get out of bed in the morning that will probably help." Mary said. "Anything else."

"My um..." Hermione blushed, and deliberately looked away from her husband. "my breasts hurt, only for the past week."

"That's normal too. It'll probably happen on and off throughout the pregnancy. They'll grow too, sometimes by a lot towards the end." The medi-witch nodded, then she seemed to take in the couples discomfort. "Ah, Ministry pairing are we?"

"Yes." Hermione replied quietly.

"I didn't spot it at first; your husband comes across as very protective of you." The lady smiled. "I'm sure you too will still work out just fine. You have the whole of this pregnancy to get to know each other. You wouldn't believe some of the couples that I see in here!"

"I'm lucky." Hermione nodded. "I could have done a lot worse."

"Right my girl, I've got some reading material for you, basic do's and don'ts and of course if you have any questions then ask away. Feel free to make an appointment to ask questions or just for a check up at any time but the next appointment that I need to make for you isn't until around twelve weeks." Mary explained, handing a book and a few leaflets to Hermione. "The twelve week appointment is a very exciting one so be sure to bring your husband with you. You'll get to see the baby for the first time, we have both muggle and wizarding methods of doing this in the hospital so whichever you'd prefer. We'll take a few blood tests and you'll be able to hear the baby's heartbeat as well."

"Thank you." Hermione smiled at her. "I'll read all this first and then come back if I still have questions."

"Excellent, and you Mr Snape? Any questions?" the medi-witch asked, as he and Hermione stood to leave.

"Just one, are there any potions she should not be given during pregnancy?" he asked.

"Ah, that Snape." Mary nodded. "That Professor, of course I should have known it straight away but I didn't connect the dots. I blame that on six kids and old age. There is a list of potion ingredients that could be harmful for the baby in the information I gave Hermione, let me just grab another list so you can each have a copy."

"Thank you." He nodded.

With that the couple made their way back to the floo connections and back to Hogwarts. Hermione for one was much happier now that she was armed with reading material. Severus however refused to allow her to read it that night, instead practically forcing her into bed to get some rest assuring her that she would have plenty of time to read them tomorrow.

"And perhaps if you find that you are feeling better you may also take a trip to Miss Weasley." He commented, turning off the light and climbing into bed himself.

"She's Mrs Potter now." Hermione commented. "Besides I thought you wanted me where you could find me."

"Well if I know where you are then I can still find you can I not?" he retorted. After a moments silence he spoke again. "I may have over-reacted, but with you pregnant you will need to get into the habit of telling me if you have plans to go somewhere so that _if_ later down the line there is an emergency I can find you."

"If I feel alright at lunchtime and then I will come and tell you if I am going out to visit anyone." Hermione told him, before rolling onto her side away from him and closing her eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes: So I hope you're enjoying it so far obviously from my first flamer I gather everyone isn't but ah well. Please if you don't like the story and you're going to write a negative review, firstly there's no need to swear, secondly have the nerve to do it as a signed review and lastly make it at least somewhat constructive. In fact I'm leaving the flame up rather than removing it so you guys can look and see what is NOT a constructive review and how childish it really looks when people just swear at you.

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing and I make no money from writing this it's just for my own amusement :D

Big thanks to my beta JenJenSon for always making sense of my random typos and backwards words!

What Happens Now?

Chapter 4

Hermione true to her word came to join her husband in the great hall for lunch the following day. Lolly had obviously not missed a beat because Hermione's plate was about half the size of everyone else's. Clearly the house elf knew her stuff when it came to pregnancy.

"I'm surprised that you risked the rumours to join us for lunch." Severus commented.

"I told you I'd come and tell you if I was going out this afternoon, so here I am." Hermione replied, not letting his usual attitude bother her. "I'm going to the burrow this afternoon; Ginny is there for a visit today and asked me if I wanted to come."

"Fine, don't be back too late. In fact if you're still out when I've finished last lessons and afternoon detention I'll come and escort you home myself." He replied.

"I'm going to the burrow Severus not a brothel." Hermione retorted rolling her eyes. "I will assume that this is your own unique way of worrying about me so how about we compromise? If after the evening meal I haven't got back then you can come and get me."

"Fine." He grunted. Hermione spent the rest of her lunch speaking to Minerva since Severus was not exactly known for his conversation skills. Severus ate in silence and when he was finished he left abruptly.

"I'm going to see the Weasley's this afternoon, shall I say hello for you?" Hermione asked.

"Please do." The Headmistress nodded. "And tell them that they are always most welcome to visit."

"Just think, in eleven years time you could have a whole new wave of Weasleys coming to Hogwarts." Hermione smiled.

"Perhaps." Minerva nodded. "But I'm hardly going anywhere soon so there's no need for them to rush."

"Hogwarts isn't really the place for a baby is it?" Hermione asked softly.

"I don't see why not...there are worse places." The older witch comforted her.

"But what about any seventh years from now on that for whatever reason get married straight away, they could have a baby while still at school. Then what?" Hermione asked.

"I guess we'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it. With regards to your situation, Severus does have a house if you would prefer but we could always just extend your rooms a little into some of the less used rooms in the dungeons if it helps." She suggested.

"I guess like you said, we'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it." Hermione replied. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Hermione!" a voice called as she stepped out of the fireplace at the burrow. She held up her hand to hold off the hugs while she tried to hold her lunch in. It was not working; she held her hand up in apology and dashed to the nearest toilet.

When she emerged a few moments later Molly Weasley handed her a glass of water and a plate with a piece of toast on it.

"Thanks." Hermione sigh gratefully as they all headed back to the living room to catch up.

"Um...am I the only one that thinks after being sick eating is the last thing on Hermione's mind?" Ginny asked.

"Sshh Ginny dear and tell Hermione your news." Molly smiled warmly. Hermione tucked into the toast gratefully and nodded for Ginny to continue.

"Oh Hemrione guess what! I'm pregnant!" Ginny beamed. Hermione nearly choked on her toast.

"Congratulations!" she gasped out between coughs. "So am I. That was one of the reasons for my visit actually."

"And that's why I wanted you two to get that bit out of the way first." Molly said simply. "Ginny just found out this morning and wanted to tell everyone straight away."

"Mum you know Harry and I have been hoping since the wedding that it would happen quickly." Ginny defended. "How about you Hermione?"

"I'm actually about seven and a half weeks now." Hermione said guiltily.

"Hermione! Why didn't you tell me?" Ginny exclaimed.

"Well, I wanted to do it in person but...I didn't know if it was safe to floo and I couldn't find any books on it at the library." Hermione confessed.

"Oh Hermione dear!" Molly chided. "You could have owled me! If you have any questions at any point just owl or floo me I'm sure I've been there believe me." The three of them laughed at this.

"I can't believe we're going to be having babies together!" Ginny squealed.

"I'm sure I'm hearing things but I could have sworn I just heard my baby sister say she was having a baby?" a voice came from the doorway.

"George!" Hermione exclaimed, getting up to hug him. "I haven't seen you in like a month how are you?"

"You know, same old me." He shrugged. They all fell into a tiny moment of silence their minds going straight to Fred who was no longer with them. "So who do I have to hex now?"

"No one." Ginny sighed rolling her eyes.

"Well I could have sworn my seventeen year old sister just said she was having a baby so someone's getting an earful." He shrugged. "Get it?"

"George? Really? Now is the time for ear jokes?" Ginny asked in disbelief. "And I'm eighteen in like two months so I think you can ease up a little on Harry don't you?"

"Yeah, anyone who's willing to marry Ginerva Weasley has a get out of jail free card in my books." George grinned. "Scary!" He mouthed to Hermione. "And who am I hexing for you?"

"No one, although if you have any practical jokes that will give someone social skills and a burst of sense of humour and...you know what never mind." Hermione trailed off, knowing George he actually would pull a load of pranks on Severus just because he's Snape let alone because he had got Hermione pregnant.

"So who's the lucky guy Hermione?" he asked.

"You mean no one told you?" Hermione asked in disbelief. "I'm Mrs Snape now."

"Bloody hell! I _thought_Bill was kidding when he told me that. Jesus Hermione, hard luck." George said clapping her on the back and wandering through to the kitchen.

"He's not _that_ bad!" Hermione called after him.

"Ew Hermione...I forgot you have to sleep with Professor Snape." Ginny said quietly.

"Actually since I'm pregnant already I don't." Hermione corrected.

"You might change your mind on that when you get to your second trimester." Molly said wryly.

"Excuse me?" Hermione spluttered.

"Hormones dear. Trust me you'll go through a stage where you'll want to." She smiled.

"Ew mum!" Ginny exclaimed.

"You too dear." Molly laughed. "And just think you haven't had any sickness yet, that could still kick in unless you've very lucky this time around of course. I didn't get any sickness with Charlie or Ron."

"Well...I wasn't planning on having quite as many kids as you mum. I was thinking three and since Harry and I are looking after Teddy too that makes four." Ginny said.

"Bet you baby number three is twins." George's voice called from the kitchen.

Molly made the girls stay for dinner and Hermione knew that meant the Severus would be annoyed with her if she didn't make it back to the dungeons before he did but it wasn't like she was out anywhere dangerous.

"Oh that's the floo!" Arthur exclaimed, standing from the table and heading into the living room. When he returned a tall dark figure followed and Hermione sighed and dropped her head to the table in embarrassment. She didn't think he would _actually_ show up to get her! She thought it was just something he was saying to prove his point.

"Oh Severus, take a seat there's plenty left." Molly said quickly.

"No, no Molly please don't get up. I've already eaten at the school." Severus said, leaning back against the counter. Strange how he could be polite to Molly Weasley but hardly anyone else... "I just came to escort Hermione home, I'd rather she not travel alone if she's tired."

"I'm not four." Hermione pouted.

"Oh yes, the pout really supports your statement." He smirked.

"I heard congratulations are in order." Arthur cheered. "double congratulations really but I suppose I'll save some of the celebrating until Harry gets here."

"Ah yes, Severus; Ginny and Harry are expecting a baby as well. Isn't it wonderful?" Hermione asked her husband. George made a sick gesture at her calling the dungeon bat by his first name and Molly whacked him for it as she started taking the empty plates from the table.

"I offer my congratulations Mrs Potter." Severus said civilly.

"It's so exciting! Hermione our kids will go to Hogwarts together one day." Ginny sighed wistfully.

"Don't wish the time away dear." Molly chided. "As soon as that little one can walk you'll wish it couldn't, especially if it's anything like your brothers."

"Hermione, if you're finished here we should get back to the castle." Severus said. Hermione nodded and looked at Molly apologetically.

"Thank you so much for dinner Molly." She said, standing to hug everyone goodbye. "Tell Harry I said congratulations."

As Hermione stepped out of the fireplace in their quarters Severus was right next to her. Her had insisted that they should go together as she was tired and he didn't want her getting lost in someone else's fireplace. A fireplace is a bit of a squeeze for two people she thought as she entered their living room but she had to admit that she was pretty tired. In fact the minute she sat on the sofa to stop her stomach from emptying again she thought she'd fall asleep and that maybe she shouldn't have sat down after all. At least she wasn't sick again she supposed.

"I told you that you'd be tired." He said, walking straight past her to hang his outer cloak up.

"Yes, yes." She muttered. "You know most people don't feel the need to say I told you so."

"Ah well, I am not most people." He replied.

"I am well aware of that." Hermione sighed.

"I trust Miss-Mrs Potter was pleased with your news." He commented.

"Yes, it'll be nice having someone else to talk to about all these pregnancy things." Hermione nodded. "And Molly was so helpful. She knew as soon as I stepped out of the floo."

"If you looked as green as you looked a second ago I can hardly say I'm surprised." He smirked.

"I was sick." Hermione admitted.

"And the woman should know, god knows she was probably the reason there was never a marriage law after the first war with her rate of repopulating wizarding society." He murmured.

"Well you can rest assured that I have no desire for seven children." Hermione said dryly. "I was thinking more along the lines of two."

"For goodness sake woman! You haven't even had the first child that the ministry is forcing on us yet and you're planning a second by choice?" Severus spluttered. "And when pray tell were you going to tell me about this plan of yours?"

"Oh don't have a heart attack. That's just what I always planned when I was younger I'm not going to be forcing any more children out of you if you still hate me in several years time am I?" she said rolling her eyes.

"I don't actually hate you you know. In fact I don't hate any of your wretched trio. Do not mistake not liking someone for hating someone." He replied.

"Yes well, you're not as scary as you seem to think you are anyway." She told him, standing to go to bed.

"Well it is rather hard to appear as the evil bat of the dungeons when all I want to do is sit down and have a drink at the end of a hard day of dealing with foul dumb-witted students." He replied. "Oh don't look so surprised Miss Granger do you seriously think I don't know what people say about me? I do tend to act that way on purpose and you see, it works."

"When are you going to stop calling me Miss Granger?" she asked, turning and heading to the bedroom leaving him alone with his firewhiskey.

"When I no longer keep picturing my eleven year old student." He muttered to himself, downing the rest of the glass. He couldn't deny to himself that she looked nothing like her eleven year old self now, she was rather beautiful at the age of nineteen but still, she was miles too young for him and it simply seemed wrong for her to be his wife. At least she wasn't quite as annoying as he thought she'd be and it would seem that they wouldn't be forced to be intimate again since she was already pregnant and he certainly had no particular desire for someone he still saw as practically a child so that shouldn't prove a problem either.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Notes: Thanks to all of you that reviewed :D I love reviews! They really do make writer feels better and give us the encouragement to keep the fingers typing!

Disclaimer: I own nothing and make nothing :P

A big thanks and a virtual brownie for my beta JenJenSon for her help as always.

What Happens Now?

Chapter 5

Hermione sighed and put down her books at last. She had made significant progress in her studies and had decided to combine her two degrees to lighten her workload slightly. Since she had decided to do both potions and charms she had decided to make her research about how spells could affect potion making. She had written her summary on the negative points and negative affects and then the advantages of it but she needed to do more than written work. She needed to prove her ideas with some practical research, the only catch was that if Severus found out about her attempting some of her potions while pregnant he would probably shout so loud the whole of the Slytherin dorms would hear him.

"Well...he has a private lab..." she murmured to herself thoughtfully. "Some of my potions don't take long so I could get some done while he's busy teaching...that only leaves the longer potions to figure out." She frowned and stopped talking to herself to write a list of everything she would need to efficiently make three of her potions tomorrow while he was teaching.

Her stomach growled and interrupted her thoughts a few moments later. It was nearly time for dinner and Hermione at now eleven and a half weeks had finally stopped feeling ill all the time. She still had the occasional moment where she felt pretty bad but she was glad that the sickness seemed to be going away at last. Ginny however was now at seven weeks and experiencing her sickness in full swing.

She went and found some more suitable clothes to wear and decided to join everyone in the great hall today since she could actually enjoy her food again. She usually had her meals in the great hall once or twice a week to catch up with Minerva and Hagrid. Severus rarely spoke to her in the great hall or any time in public actually but he had been making more of an effort to be civil in their rooms so at least she had that to be thankful for.

She made her way to the hall and was there before even her husband. Minerva beamed when she saw her.

"My dear you've started glowing!" she said happily. "Are you showing yet?"

"A tiny bit, but you can't tell through my clothes really." Hermione said. "Molly said it won't be long now though. She said everyone will probably be able to tell in the next month or so."

"It's very exciting though." The older witch smiled.

"It is." Hermione admitted. "I'm definitely a lot more excited about the idea now that I'm not feeling so sick all the time."

"Hermione, I didn't know you were joining us this evening." She heard a familiar drawl appear beside her.

"Well since a student already asked me yesterday if it was true that I was your wife I figured there was no reason to hide in our rooms all day." Hermione retorted.

"Which student?" Severus snapped.

"I don't know." She sighed. "Is that important? You can't really give them detention for asking a simple question and he was very polite about it."

"And what did you say?" Minerva asked with a smile.

"I just said yes." Hermione shrugged. "He said 'really?' and then ran off pretty quickly." Hermione left out the part where he looked at her in sheer horror. Minerva just chuckled quietly while Severus stabbed at his food in anger.

"Severus if you break that plate you're going to look pretty silly." Minerva chided.

"Well, what is it with students in this school and having to know everything? We're definitely going to have to hide the child when it gets here." He muttered.

"And what about before then? When I'm a pregnant whale? Are you going to lock me up too?" Hermione asked in horror. "I don't see what the big deal is, you'll have a wife and child like loads of other wizards out there. It's normal."

"Nothing about _this_ marriage is normal." He snapped, getting up and leaving the hall. Hermione sighed; she really was getting sick of him doing that.

They barely spoke for nearly a week and when they did it was abrupt, direct and barely more than three words. Hermione was hoping that he would have come around sooner but he didn't seem to be calming down at all. So she sent him a note with the details for her appointment later in the day and decided to go for a walk and visit Hagrid in the meantime.

Just as first period ended Severus noticed an envelope on his desk. Curious that he didn't recognise the handwriting or seal he dismissed his class and then opened it.

'_I__have__an__appointment__at__half__three__this__afternoon__to__see__the__baby.__You__are__welcome__to__come.__Hermione__'_

He put the note back in the envelope and tossed it in his draw before his next class started trailing in. Did he want to go? He wasn't sure, he would have to cut his last class short to make it, not that the students would mind of course but he was more worried about how awkward it would be.

Hermione helped Hagrid prepare for his afternoon class, he found her suggestions to be brilliant and asked if she would consider coming down to review his lesson plans sometime to see if she had anything useful to add. Since it wasn't so long ago that she was on the student side of things she was very happy to help him with a few ideas that would get the students attention and keep them interested.

"Why don't you stay for the class?" he asked.

"I would but my appointment's at half three so I'd best go and get ready for it and make my way over." She replied. "And since it would appear that my beloved husband is not coming I'd get there early so I can calm myself down. I'm very nervous."

"It'll be fine 'Mione, don't you worry." He told her firmly. "and as for Snape, you give him an earful, don't let him push you around for one second." Hermione hugged him tightly as they said goodbye and she headed up to the castle.

Half an hour later Hermione took a handful of floo powder and stood in the fireplace. She stepped out and into the St Mungo's entrance and headed to the reception area to sign in.

"Alright Mrs Snape, please take a seat and someone will be with you shortly." The lady smiled.

Hermione took a seat in the waiting room, she was so nervous. She tried to spend the time deciding if she was going to have a muggle scan or a magical one. It wasn't long before a shadow appeared in front of her.

"You didn't wait for me then?" he asked.

"You didn't reply to my note so I assumed you weren't coming!" Hermione retorted, as he took a seat next to her.

"I nearly didn't." He replied, Hermione frowned at his blatant indifference. "You know how much it pains me to let students off early." She snapped her head up to look at him in surprise.

"You must be losing your touch dear because I'm sure that was a joke." She said quietly.

"Oh dear, we wouldn't want that would we?" he smirked.

"Mrs Snape?" a voice called, Hermione stood and headed over to the medi-witch, Severus following closely behind. "Ah Hermione, Professor; nice to see you again. Please come straight through."

They came and sat back in the room they had visited before.

"Now Hermione, if you'd like to just hop up here and we'll have a look at you." Mary smiled. Hermione walked over to the bed and climbed up before laying down awkwardly. "Nothing to worry about we're just going to have a quick look at your tummy and have a listen for your little one's heartbeat. So if you could pull your shirt up for me."

Hermione pulled her shirt up and Severus felt he should avert his gaze so he did.

"Very nice, you're starting to show which is wonderful." Mary said, instantly his eyes snapped to Hermione's stomach of their own violation. Sure enough he could see the slight swelling of her stomach, a small bump that he hadn't even known was there. Moments later a thumping sound almost similar to the sound of a train filled the room. "And that's the little one's heartbeat. You'll notice that it's quite a bit faster than your own heartbeat. Have you decided whether you want a muggle or magical scan?"

"I don't really mind, I've heard that the actual image is pretty much the same." Hermione replied. The medi-witch stepped away from Hermione, letting the heartbeat grow quieter until it faded away and she sat up and pulled her shirt down.

"Well, the pictures that you'll get to keep are usually the only difference, the muggle ones don't move where as the magical ones do." Mary explained.

"OK, magical then if that's the only difference." Hermione decided.

"Right you sit tight and I'll go and get everything." The medi-witch nodded, leaving them in the small room alone. Neither one said anything; they both felt a bit emotional but didn't really know what to say to the other. A moment later Mary was back with a strange looking glass type object. "Right, Professor you're going to want to take a seat up there by the head of the bed so you can see the projection on this wall here. Hermione if you lie back down and lift up your shirt I'll get the lights."

Severus awkwardly moved to sit next to Hermione's upper half and they both stared at the black wall ahead of them until the light went off. The medi-witch moved the glass object over Hermione's stomach and started chanting. Hermione held her breath as slowly an image began to appear on the wall ahead of them. Straight away she could see the baby shape in her stomach and felt her eyes start to tear up.

"Here we go, you can see your little one looks very happy in there. This over here is the heartbeat that we heard earlier. The next time we do this you'll be able to find out the sex if you want to." Mary explained. Hermione was enchanted, she let out a little laugh of happiness as she saw the baby kick out it's legs in a frog like moment and move around in her stomach.

"Can you feel that?" Severus suddenly asked her.

"No." Hermione replied shaking her head.

"You'll probably start feeling some slightly butterfly movements in about a month and from then on they'll start to get more distinctive movements." Mary told them both, she glanced at Severus. "You probably won't be able to feel them until at least twenty weeks but you will eventually be able to feel him or her kicking from the outside. Do you have any questions?"

Hermione just shook her head in response, staring at the screen as if in a trance. Mary leant over the glass on Hermione's stomach again and started chanting before laying a small card on the glass that blocked the image on the wall. Moments later she removed the card and replaced it with another before removing that also and then taking the glass away and turning the lights back on. She handed the two pieces of card to them, one each and ushered them back to their original seats.

"Thank you." Hermione murmured, staring at the picture of her wriggling baby. Severus quickly tucked his inside his robes and took a seat next to his young wife. He could see the tears on her face still now that the lights were on.

"Now Hermione, I'll need you to come back at sixteen weeks for a few simple test and a check up; your husband can come if he wants to. The next scan will be at about twenty weeks so Professor you will probably want to come to that one. For now though it would seem everything is progressing nicely, perfectly healthy and normal." Mary told them.

They said their goodbyes and headed back to the floo where Severus disappeared straight through first and left Hermione to follow. When she stepped out of their fireplace she found that he was already gone. Hermione let herself cry now, she was so happy after seeing her baby but...her husband didn't seem to care at all.

It was late when a movement in the bed woke Hermione. She groaned and rolled over.

"Sorry, but you were taking up the whole bed." Severus's voice said. "You're not big enough to start claiming that you need the whole bed to yourself yet." Hermione smiled a little at that. How could he change between hot and cold so quickly? She almost jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder, turning her onto her back so Severus could see her in the dim light. There had been an unspoken rule that they pretty much avoided each other in bed to prevent them feeling awkward. "Sorry."

"It's OK, I know this isn't really what you wanted." Hermione replied sleepily. The dark man just stared down at her intently.

"No Hermione, I might have never let myself hope I'd find myself with a wife and child but I do want this baby." He said quietly. "It hasn't seemed real to me until now."

"Do you mean it?" Hermione asked softly.

"Are you questioning my word?" he chuckled.

"Oh yes trust the word of the Head of Slytherin." Hermione said sarcastically, they both laughed for a second before they fell into an awkward silence due to their closeness.

"I do mean it. I want this child." He said. "As long as it doesn't have my nose." Hermione laughed loudly at this; feeling her troubles from earlier melting away as she did.

"Well I hope it doesn't get my hair." Hermione smiled.

"I think you'll find there is nothing wrong with your hair, only the fact that you didn't know the proper grooming spells to tame it until those awful Gryfindor girls showed you how." He replied.

"Grooming spells? Really you want to go there?" Hermione grinned.

"You cheeky little chit! You know full well I wash my hair every day!" he barked at her.

"I know, I know." She laughed. "God, maybe I should stick with charms and drop potions if the fumes are going to have that effect on my hair."

"You'll be fine as long as you don't teach." He replied. "When you throw in the extra fumes from all the student's cauldrons that's what does it. Yours alone shouldn't have quite the same effect."

"So...do you want to find out what we're having at the next scan?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know." He replied. "I don't really mind so it makes no difference. I didn't know you were showing at all."

"I barely am." Hermione shrugged.

"It's fascinating," He commented. "that a female body can change so completely to accommodate a child." They both lie in silence for a few moments before Hermione spoke up quietly.

"So what happens now?" she asked into the dark. Severus just took her hand and squeezed for a moment before they both moved back to their own sides of the bed to sleep.

For the first time in many weeks Hermione fell asleep with a smile on her face.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Notes: Thanks so much to all of you for your support and to all of you who have added this story to your alerts and favourites! A few people have mentioned the speed of the updates. As much as I would like to say I'll be getting out updates daily the whole way through I seriously doubt it. I'd mostly finished the first 4 chapters before posting it so I just needed to do touch ups here and there. I am however going to try and update at least twice if not three times a week for the length of the story so fingers crossed I stick to it and don't disappoint you to much.

Disclaimer: The usual really, I don't own it and I make no money

Also a big thanks to JenJenSon my beta and HP educator throughout this story. I just want to add that I know very little about Harry Potter so if I get some details wrong please forgive me! (I also like to take creative license with it since this is fanfiction and all)

What Happens Now?

Chapter Six

"Hermione!" a voice called aloud as Hermione made her way down the hallway to the head's office. She turned around to see a young woman with white blonde hair beaming at her.

"Luna? What are you doing here?" Hermione asked, hugging her friend and eying the large case in her hand. "It's good to see you."

"I'm the new Transfiguration Professor. Didn't you know?" Luna asked.

"Really? Wow, no I didn't have a clue!" Hermione replied. Together they continued towards the Head's office slowly.

"Well, I'm not technically going to be a Professor until next year, Professor McGonagall has taken over my apprenticeship so that she can get me adjusted to the lesson plans. So I'll only be assisting for the last month before summer and then I'll take over next year." Luna explained. "So you live here too?"

"Yes, I live with Severus in the dungeons I'm afraid." Hermione shrugged. "But I love still being at Hogwarts."

"Ah, Miss Lovegood! So good to see you again." Minerva greeted as they entered her office. "I see you've run into Hermione."

"Yes, it'll be nice to have a friend around." Luna smiled.

"That it will. I'll call to have your things taken to your new rooms so that we can head straight to the Great Hall for lunch." The older witch said. "You two go ahead I'll join you momentarily and we can catch up over lunch."

Leaving her coat and case behind, Luna followed Hermione out and down to the hall for lunch.

"How's Ron? I haven't spoken to him in what feels like forever." Hermione asked.

"Oh he's fine, the wedding is next month did he tell you?" Luna replied.

"Not in person but I got the invite." Hermione nodded. "Are you excited?"

"Yes, I think I am actually." Luna said dreamily. "What about Professor Snape? Will he join you at the wedding?"

"Who knows, he might or he might not and he probably won't tell me until the last minute either." Hermione scoffed.

"It can't be so bad Hermione. You look happy." The blonde pointed out as they took their seats.

"Actually, I am happy. I mean I know it's not a match made in heaven or anything but I get to be at Hogwarts and I'm going to be having a baby. It's quite exciting really." Hermione said honestly.

"Don't be so quick to dismiss the match. I think...the Professor is very intelligent is he not?" Luna asked, Hermione just nodded in response. "And the age gap doesn't bother you?"

"No, it's not the age that bothers me at all. It's just...I can't see him ever letting me get close to him, or anyone for that matter. I wouldn't want to get my hopes up over it to find out that he could never care for me that way." Hermione explained. "He's just not really the kind of person I can picture in a relationship."

"I think he may surprise you." Luna commented. "Here he comes now and he's had his eyes on you since he stepped through the door."

"That's because I'm not normally in the hall for lunch." Hermione grinned. "You wait to hear his first words." They both smiled up at the dark man approaching them. Severus took his seat before saying a word and then turned to Hermione.

"I'm surprised to see you here." He commented, lifting his fork. Neither of the girls could help themselves and quickly turned to each other to share a secret grin.

"I wanted to catch up with Luna. She's going to be taking over from Minerva next year." Hermione explained.

"Ah, I did wonder if she was one of the new apprentices for next year." Severus nodded.

"One of them?" Hermione asked. "Who's the other one with?"

"Filius, he's been thinking of retiring ever since the war so they're looking for an apprentice for him." He explained. "I knew Minerva was also looking for a replacement due to her head duties."

"Do you think I could do it?" Hermione asked excitedly.

"Oh yes and what exactly do you plan on doing with the child then exactly?" he asked rolling his eyes.

"I'm sure we'll think of something, besides an apprenticeship could take at least a whole year, Luna started hers with a Transfiguration Professor straight after school; she's just finishing up her training here so that she's ready to start straight away." Hermione said. "If Filius is happy to train me as an apprentice over the next year or so then I'm sure we can think of some kind of arrangement for the baby. I don't want to give up my entire future because the ministry decided they wanted everyone to have babies."

"If you think you can manage it go ahead and apply." He muttered to himself.

"Severus Snape, I am not going to sit at home looking after your son or daughter for the rest of my life while you waltz in and out from working. My mind will rot!" Hermione chided. The hall instantly quietened and Hermione had the good grace to look a little ashamed of her outburst.

"Well done _dearest_." He snorted. "I'm sure the student body will have a whale of a time with that one."

Hermione was in the bath already when she heard her husband come in from his evening meal. She sighed and let herself enjoy a few more moments of peace before getting out and wrapping her towel tightly around her.

She headed straight to the bedroom to get dressed for bed so that she would be appropriately covered. She pulled on her pyjama bottoms and found a vest top to wear from her draw. She was just pulling her top over her chest as Severus entered the bedroom and was suddenly very grateful she hadn't spent longer deciding on a top.

"My apologies." He said, turning his head away.

"It's OK I'm done." She replied.

"I was just checking that you were here." He said. "I didn't know if you'd still be with Miss Lovegood."

"No actually she went to talk to Filius about helping him with some of the Ravenclaw head of house duties." Hermione said.

"Goodness, that's starting her a bit soon isn't it?" he asked shaking his head.

"She's not taking his job, just helping him." Hermione corrected. Then she noticed him staring at her stomach. "Starting to get a bit more obvious now isn't it?" He snapped his gaze but up to hers looking startled.

"Sorry." He said quickly.

"It's OK, it's your baby in there you know." She grinned; it was so strange to see him so uncertain about something. "here" She took his hand and pressed it to her covered stomach. "That's your baby in there and in about five weeks you're going to be able to feel him or her moving around in there."

"Can you?" he asked, not taking his eyes from his hand still pressed against her stomach even though she had now drop her hand. "Can you feel it move yet?"

""I'm not sure," she replied biting her lip. "I thought I maybe felt something yesterday but I don't really know what it's supposed to feel like so it's hard to tell." He stepped a little closer to her as his hand ran gently across her stomach, feeling the now more distinctive bump that she had at fifteen weeks.

"What did it feel like?" he asked.

"I don't know...kind of like bubbles. Like a few tiny bubbles popped inside my stomach." She smiled at the thought. "I guess we can only wait and see if it happens again."

"Are you heading to bed now?" he asked, suddenly stepping back from her and dropping his hand.

"No, I was just getting comfortable and then I'm going to go and read by the fire." She replied, turning to look for her jumper.

"Alright, I'm just finishing up something in my lab and then I'll join you." He nodded. The two parted ways at the living room, where Hermione took a seat on the sofa to read and Severus headed into his private lab.

When he returned an hour later, which was admittedly a bit longer than the fifteen minutes that he'd planned he found Hermione curled up on the sofa asleep. Her book had fallen from her hands to the floor, page lost. He went to wake her to send her to bed but he found that even he couldn't make himself wake her.

Four months ago he would have taken great pleasure in waking the Gryfindor know-it-all, unfortunately since they had the talk on trying to at least be civil and try to make the best of things he had found that her company was not actually as troublesome as he had thought it would be. In fact it was nice sometimes to be able to have an intelligent conversation with someone and few rivalled Hermione when it came to intellect. It was that thought that immediately made him feel guilty about her earlier statement.

She had been right, it wasn't fair to allow her to sit at home and let that intelligence waste away, she deserved to have a future even if it did have to take second priority to a child. So in his guilt he found himself shifting his sleeping wife into his arms and carrying her to the bedroom. He managed to get her in the bed and covered without so much as a stir.

It was when he came to bed that he woke her, once again finding that he had to shift her from the very centre of the bed.

"Urgh..." she groaned. "What happened?"

"Nothing, you were taking up the whole bed again." He told her. Hermione promptly sat up in bed and yanked her jumper off over her head.

"God I feel boiling." She sighed in relief as she lay back down.

"Lucky you." He commented dryly. "All these years down here and you'd think I'd have gotten used to the cold by now."

It was the morning that startled Severus. He was warm, very warm. It was as he began to gain focus that he realised that there was someone laying against him. Actually practically on him... It was definitely strange and for a moment he felt panicked, he and Hermione always tried to stay as far away from each other in bed as possible, it was an unspoken rule. Now he was lying on his back with Hermione plastered against his side with one arm and one leg flung over him and her head on his chest. How had she even tucked herself under his arm in the first place?

After a few moments of deciding whether to try to move her without waking her or just wake her to get her to move he decided that it wasn't actually unpleasant having her snuggled up against him. She looked extremely comfortable there...then he noticed a twitch lower down his body and growled to himself. That had never happened. He hadn't felt attracted to Hermione even once since they'd been married. On the Wedding Night he had had to drug her and take a potion himself to allow him to even perform. All he had even been able to see was that eleven year old girl that kept raising her hand in class.

Deciding that this was dangerous territory he reached for his wand on the bedside table and used it to levitate her off of him and slip from the bed before she woke up. He needed a cold shower, fast.

Once he had showered and dressed and sat down with a cup of tea he had already convinced himself that since it was the morning that that part of his body was more likely to be standing to attention anyway so it wasn't a big deal. He didn't have to be attracted to Hermione, he could just rationalise that one occasion and move on exactly as they had been before this morning's embarrassing incident. Thank Merlin that she was still asleep.

"Oh!" a gasp made him turn to find a very startled Hermione in her pyjamas and dressing gown. "I didn't expect you to still be here you startled me!"

"My apologies for sitting here." He murmured, turning back to his paper. Hermione helped herself to some tea and sat down in silence for a few moments.

"Anything interesting?" she asked him eventually.

"Not really." He sighed, closing the paper and putting it down. "I was going to get some supplies for the classroom later. If you are in need of anything you are welcome to join me."

"Really?" Hermione asked. "That'd be good. I need to have a look for some maternity robes now that I'm starting to show. None of my trousers or jeans fit. I've been trying a trick I read in a muggle magazine of looping a hairband through the button hole to give me some extra room."

"Seriously?" he asked in disbelief. She nodded. "You are a witch are you not? Why could you not just transfigure a little extra room?"

"Oh." Hermione mouthed.

"Brightest witch of her age I think not." He smirked.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Notes: Thank you to all of those readers that keep coming back to read the updates, especially those of you that are leaving me reviews to keep me motivated! I love reviews very shallow I know but it's true. Who doesn't like to know that their work is appreciated?

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or the characters or anything else recognisable and I make no money from these writings.

A big thanks to my beta JenJenSon for helping me and going through all my crazy typos so that you can actually read what I write :D

What Happens Now?

Chapter Seven

Hermione walked quietly alongside her husband through the busy street. It had completely surprised her that he had invited her to come with him and as per his suggestion she had transfigured some of her clothes to fit more comfortably so she didn't have her waistband digging into her as she walked. She did however feel a little self conscious in her summer top that seemed to show off her bump. Not that she wanted to cover it up exactly...it was just strange walking around and knowing that people would know she was pregnant...or if not they'd think she was chubby.

"In here." Severus told her as he turned off to the right into an apothecary. Hermione followed and indulged her curiosity by looking around while he went to the counter obviously knowing exactly what he wanted. It wasn't long before he returned with a bag. "Is there anything you need? For you studies I mean?"

"Not at the moment, I have a lot of the basic ingredients already." Hermione replied shaking her head.

"I suppose you would probably just pinch mine if you didn't have something anyway." He muttered.

"I would ask first." Hermione said defensively as they left the shop.

"So you never borrowed anything during your school years then hmm?" he asked, knowing full well that she had.

"Well...that was slightly different, it was all for good causes _and_ there aren't many ingredients that you can buy when you're under age." She explained guiltily. "Does it help if I say sorry?"

"Only marginally." He smirked. "There's another place I want to go but is there anywhere you want to go while we're here?"

"Well, I just want a few new bits of clothes and maybe some books..." Hermione said thoughtfully. "That's about it; I just love an excuse to get out of the castle."

"Well, here you go." He gestured as they walked down the street. "Books you want, books you shall have." It didn't take long for them to head their separate ways inside the book store and Hermione soon found herself lost in her love of books.

She found so many that she wanted but restricted herself to three in the end before finally heading to the counter to pay. After paying she went in search of her missing husband, it turns out he was just as lost in the books as she was.

"Do you even have room on your bookshelf left for all of those?" she asked him as soon as she spotted him carrying at least a good eight books and trying to balance another on the top.

"In my lab I do." He replied. "How much room to you have left on yours?"

"Hence only three." She grinned holding up her paper bag. She had only just managed to find a space for a bookshelf in their rooms because one side of the living room was literally lined with them. She was most pleased when he had allowed her access to read his books on the condition that they not be damaged in any way. He had actually followed the sentence with 'since you'll only help yourself as soon as I leave the room anyway' but still she was grateful. So far however she was not allowed to touch the books in his private lab, which wasn't a problem...well not until she ran out of books in the living room to read.

"Alright, I'll just go and purchase these and we'll go find you some whale clothes." He smirked. Hermione just grit her teeth, you never implied that a pregnant woman was fat! Any man who had ever had a pregnant girlfriend or wife could tell you that but still...he was baiting her on purpose so she let it slide.

A short while later Hermione found herself browsing rather cluelessly through rail after rail of clothing. She wasn't much for shopping or clothes really, she just needed a couple of extras to allow for her growing stomach and then she could get out of here.

"Do you even have a clue what you're looking for?" Severus drawled from behind her.

"Not a clue." She admitted. "But since clothes are somewhat of a necessity you'll have to be patient."

"Bugger this." He muttered, storming off. Hermione sighed and continued browsing aimlessly through rails hoping to get lucky.

"What is it you're looking for Madam?" a lady asked from her left. Hermione turned to find that the grumpy potions Master had in fact not stormed out of the store but instead gone to find someone to help her.

"Oh, um...maternity things." Hermione said shyly.

"Please follow me, we have a selection over here." The young witch said cheerily and led Hermione over to the other side of the shop.

Twenty minutes later Hermione had purchased a few tops and a few bottoms and assured the helpful lady that she really didn't need anything else. She heaved a sigh of relief when Severus abruptly said that they were finished now and they managed to get outside the shop.

"Sometimes you being you is actually a good thing." Hermione sighed. "I hate clothes shopping."

"Put you in a bookshop and you're happy for hours put you in a clothes shop for twenty minutes and you look like you've just tried to arm wrestle a giant." Severus smirked. "At least I won't have to worry about you destroying my bank account on useless unnecessary frilly things."

"Maybe the ministry wasn't so far off then." Hermione laughed. "I'm the only one that can put up with you!"

"And believe me I'm probably that only person that can put up with you." He replied, leading them down another street.

It was a good hour or so later when they returned to the castle. Hermione collapsed herself on the sofa and let out a huge sigh of relief.

"I am knackered!" she sighed, enjoying the sofa cushions. "I think I'm just going to stay he with my new books and not move for the rest of the day."

"Enjoy that, I have work to do." Severus replied bluntly, taking his items through to his private lab. "I assume I'll be seeing you at the evening meal." He added just as he disappeared behind the door.

Hermione didn't feel slighted by his behaviour in the least; he had been very civil through the whole trip, more than civil even, he was actually nice to her or as nice as Severus Snape got anyway. She had no illusions of him ever being a loving, endearing husband because that just wouldn't be in his character, however he seemed to be trying and that was the important part.

A knock at the door half an hour later had Hermione reluctantly leaving her warm spot on the sofa and answering it.

"Hermione, would you like to join me, I'm going to visit Hagrid and I know how fond of him you are." Luna asked.

"Oh, of course!" Hermione agreed. "That sounds very nice, just hold on one minute." Hermione took a small piece of parchment to write a short note to her husband telling him where she was just in case he over-reacted again and charmed it to slip under the door to his private lab and direct its way to his hands. "Let's go."

The two young witches headed out of the castle and towards the familiar hut. They talked about Luna's plans for her new position and Hermione's plans regarding applying for the charms apprenticeship.

"So do you think that the ministry will expect you to have children straight away or will they allow you a few years due to your new job as a Professor?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, I don't think they'll care much about that. Ron and I have pretty much gotten used to the fact we'll be having a baby soon." Luna said softly. "He's going to come and stay here for a short time after the wedding you know?"

"Really?" Hermoine asked. "I thought he would be busy with his Auror training."

"Well they're giving him a few months breather to aid with our anticipated co-operation with the law." Luna smiled. "So he's going to stay in the castle and aid Professor Aberforth in teaching Defence against the Dark Arts for a few months."

"Oh that'll be very exciting for the students." Hermione nodded enthusiastically. Aberforth Dumbledore had at Minerva's request taken over the position of the DADA Professor after his help in the final battle and it had seemed to cheer the old Wizard up somewhat as well. She had originally wanted to give the post to Severus like he had always wanted but the ministry had told her it wasn't really appropriate, even after they had cleared his name.

Hermione supposed they were worried about what he might teach the students. Maybe after a few years they might reconsider. The effects of the war were still very fresh wounds and it would take a while for people to come to terms with it.

They arrived at Hagrid's hut and he greeted them warmly, ushering them inside to pour them tea. Sat in Hagrid's hut with a school friend it felt almost like nothing had changed, even if Harry and Ron weren't here. She missed them terribly sometimes. She still got letters from Harry often even if she didn't see him but Ron she had seen very little of since she got married. It was a shame that the three had been so close and now saw so little of each other, still she hoped that it would be only temporary; after all they were all dealing with some rather life changing events at the moment and getting adjusted to being adults. She hoped that when things died down they would be able to see more of each other.

"You know what I think the students would love? Dragons!" Luna said dreamily.

"Yes well, according to Dumbledore Dragons aren't really suitable for a pet at Hogwarts." Hagrid replied, Hermione smiled a little remembering the dragon egg Hagrid had hatched at Hogwarts in her first year. It's seemed like so long ago now.

"What about a visit? They brought not one but four dragons here for the Tri Wizard Tournament, why not ask Charlie Weasley if you could have one brought over for a lesson? Just once a year wouldn't be a problem surely." Hermione suggested.

"I can ask I suppose." Hagrid replied, scratching his head in thought.

"I think that's a wonderful idea. I loved seeing all the magical creatures when I was a student, much more interesting than sitting indoors with books like most of the other lessons." Luna nodded.

The three continued to talk until it Hermione's stomach interrupted them and caused them all to laugh.

"I suppose that means we should all head to the hall then." Hagrid announced.

Hermione took a seat right on the end of the table next to Severus and immediately began to tuck into her food. She was so grateful that her appetite had returned and she didn't feel sick all the time.

"You are aware that your food cannot fight back are you not?" Severus remarked next to her. Hermione look up slightly flushed in embarrassment.

"Sorry, I'm starving." She replied. "It haven't felt this hungry in months!"

"As is evident by the mashed potato on your cheek." He replied smoothly. Hermione's mouth dropped and she quickly wiped her face.

"Oops." Was all she could bring herself to say, feeling like she wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole. She was supposed to be an adult at the Head table setting an example and there she was with the table manners of a first year Ron Weasley.


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Notes: For those of you that find this next scene a bit strange, it's actually taken from something I myself did. I am currently twelve weeks pregnant with my second child and when watching an episode of Bones I cried my eyes out (no too strange because someone died), the bad part was when I then sat watching Disney's Cars with my son and at the end when Lightning McQueen stops on purpose and goes back to help the other car that crashed I started crying! It was crazy! I sat there feeling like an idiot but I had literally no control over it and when my partner (so supportive that he is) start making fun of me I got in a right mood for a good hour over it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or the characters or anything else recognisable and I make no money from these writings.

A big thanks to my beta JenJenSon for helping me and going through all my crazy typos so that you can actually read what I write :D

What Happens Now?

Chapter Eight

Hermione sat with Ginny and Harry in their living room watching the television. Harry had got one because the Weasley's, especially Arthur had always seemed fascinated with muggle appliances and since he had one growing up...even though he was never allowed to choose what he watched, he decided he'd quite like one.

"Hermione...are you...crying?" Harry asked carefully, looking at the sniffling witch next to his wife.

"No, don't be silly Harry." Hermione snapped quickly. They both eyed Hermione to find that she was indeed crying at the cartoon that they had put on for Teddy.

"What's the matter?" Ginny asked. "You can tell us you know."

"Nothing, it's stupid." Hermione huffed. Neither of them shifted their gaze and in the end Hermione gave up and told them. "He just gave up his chance of winning to help the other guy. It's just really sweet."

"Oh my...Ginny please don't tell me you're going to start crying at things." Harry murmured. Ginny and Harry sat there trying not to laugh but in the end it was no good. Hermione promptly stood up and abruptly disappeared into the fireplace despite her two friends trying to call out apologies behind her.

"You're back earlier than you said." A voice drawled as soon as she stepped out of the fireplace into the living room.

"Is that a problem?" she snapped, heading straight past him, grabbing her book from the coffee table and heading straight to the bedroom.

"What on earth is wrong with you now?" he muttered. Hermione didn't answer as she had already vanished from sight. It took Severus half an hour to decide to go and check on his sulking wife to make sure there wasn't anything seriously wrong. He found her on the bed huffing at her book.

"Yes?" she asked, not looking up but knowing he was there.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Nothing important." She replied.

"Then why are you still sulking like a child?" he asked, leaning against the doorframe and crossing his arms across his chest.

"Because even if Harry doesn't, Ginny is supposed to understand!" she huffed.

"Understand what?"

"I got a bit emotional earlier, over nothing really just hormones but they laughed at me, both of them." She explained, closing her book and pouting.

"Emotional how?" he asked carefully.

"I might have got a bit teary over a cartoon show. Just a bit and I _know_ it's stupid so you don't have to say anything. They just didn't have to laugh at me!" she said defensively. Severus fought to keep the smile off of his face but she frowned when she saw his lips twitching none the less. "Don't even think about it."

"Hermione it is funny." He said simply. "It may not be your fault and only hormones but it is funny. So, how about you go and have a bath and let it go now?"

"It's not funny to me." She retorted, climbing off the bed.

"You'll survive." He told her. "Come on, go relax and stop fretting. I'd rather not worry about getting my head bitten off if I breathe to loudly in bed."

"I'm not that bad!" Hermione protested.

"No, you're not." He agreed, looking down to meet her furious gaze. "It was a joke."

"Sorry." Hermione sighed. She really did need to relax; maybe she'd feel better tomorrow.

Luckily the thought of sinking into a nice warm bath did cheer her up and once she actually did get into the warm bubbly water she could feel herself relaxing straight away. Her hair was pinned back on her head and she lay back to enjoy the feeling. After a short while she cast a few charms to shave herself and scrubbed her face.

"Oh!" she suddenly gasped. Her stomach felt very strange...like the bubbling feeling she had felt before but it seemed to keep going. "Ah!" She squeaked as she felt a strange rolling feeling in her stomach. It seemed that her baby at seventeen weeks had decided to start making some movements inside.

"Are you-" the door burst open and Severus's words died on his lips as he found her smiling. "Sorry. I thought you were hurt."

"Wait, it's OK." She told him as he spun on heel to leave as quickly as he had entered. "It was the baby moving. It just took me by surprise. It's never really moved much before now, at least not enough that I could definitely tell that that's what it was."

"That's a good sign." He replied. "Perhaps he likes the bath."

"Or she." Hermione corrected.

"We'll see." He replied. "I'll leave you to it."

Hermione lay in the bath a while longer stroking her now still stomach. She couldn't wait to find out if it was a boy or a girl...maybe it would be a nicer surprise is they waited until the baby arrived but she wasn't sure she could wait that long. She had about three weeks to decide if she wanted to find out the sex of the baby at her next scan and she was no closer to a decision than she was five weeks ago.

That was the first time Severus had talked about the baby in terms of he or she. In fact usually it was child or it...maybe now that she had a bump it was able to seem more real to him. They hadn't seen much of each other over the past couple of weeks because of end of year exams but since the school year was nearly over he would soon have no choice but to spend more time with her.

They were staying at Hogwarts for a few weeks after the end of term as Ron and Luna were going to be having their wedding on the grounds and they were both invited. After that they were planning to go to Severus's house in Spinner's End for most of the summer break.

Once Hermione had gotten out of the bath and dressed in her nice comfy lounging around clothes she headed back into the living room.

"Better now?"

"Yes." Hermione nodded. "Apparently the whole scary pregnant woman thing isn't a myth."

"Apparently not." Her husband agreed, looking up from his book. Hermione was now dressed in a pair of comfortable jogging bottoms and a vest top that clung to her bump, his eyes focused on it, unable to help himself.

"I need some reading material for my project, do you have anything that may mention use of spells and charms on potions or during potion making?" Hermione asked, taking a seat on the sofa.

"Not here. At my house I have a few books that mention spell use when harvesting ingredients and the effects of it and the possible side effects of using spells during brewing. I doubt there is anything in much detail though because few potion masters would think to potentially contaminate their potions with excess magic." He informed her.

"Well, something is better than nothing." Hermione shrugged.

"My house," he started slowly. "We're going to need to sell it."

"How come?" Hermione asked curiously.

"There is only one bedroom." He explained. "And since I assume that at some point we will need a residence other than Hogwarts we will need one with more than one bedroom."

"Oh, well...it not urgent but I suppose that makes sense." Hermione agreed. "Anyway it's your house so as long as you don't move us into a dark forest somewhere I'll leave the decisions to you."

"You're not going to insist on some dream house that you simple must have?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"No." Hermione replied, then she turned to look at him. "Do I seriously look like a materialistic person to you? Surely you know me better by now!"

"Ah of course, the woman who hates clothes shopping how could I forget?" he chuckled. Hermione flushed a little, when had he stopped calling her girl? She couldn't quite remember, but she most certainly wasn't going to complain that he wasn't patronising her over her age anymore.

"Just think by the Christmas holiday this little one will be here already." Hermione said, stroking her stomach.

"Do you want to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas or go home, to the new house when we have one?" he asked, then paused looking thoughtful. "I suppose we've got quite a while before we have to worry about that still though."

"Yes, we'll decide later." Hermione agreed. "Now, where is Lolly with dinner I'm starving? Are you going to the main hall or staying sat there?"

"I hadn't realised the time. I suppose I should go to the great hall...it wouldn't do for the students to think they're free of me now would it? Especially not in the last two weeks of term." He replied, standing and going to put on his robes. "At the weekend we could go somewhere to eat if you like? Somewhere different since you don't get out very much?"

"Severus Snape are you asking me out?" Hermione asked wryly.

"Of course not, that would be pointless firstly you're already my wife and secondly I had no intentions of the sort." He spluttered.

"Uhuh." Hermione smirked. "I'd love to." He just nodded and left their rooms without another word, leaving Hermione chuckling to herself.

Severus however spent his entire march to the great hall in thought on three simple words; 'I'd love to'. She'd love to what? Love to go to dinner or love to go out? In the case of the latter why on earth would she? What on earth could possibly be appealing about going out on a date with someone nineteen years her senior not to mention looks or personality? He had to admit she did manage to draw the short straw when it came to husbands, he was not pleasant company, not a pleasant person and not pleasant to look at either so why on earth did she seem to think she could have done worse? The only thing that could have been worse would have been one of the deatheaters that wasn't actually Dumbledore's man.

The other question of course was would he want to go on a date with her? She was pleasant enough company and knew when to stay quiet; she had definitely slowed down on the mindless chatter and continuous questions since she had left with Potter during their sixth year. Not only that but at some point he had managed to stop thinking of her as the girl she was, seeing her round with his child had made it easier for him to see her as a woman and not a bad looking one either. The downside of even considering such a thing was the level of complications it could bring, especially since women have a tendency to make a bigger deal of things than there actually was.

To Severus a date was a date nothing more nothing less, but to a woman...Hermione may expect them to just pick up a romantic relationship afterwards that was just not going to happen. No. It was far easier to leave things as they are and not even begin any of these foolish fantasies, especially with a hormonal pregnant woman.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Notes: Sorry it's been a bit longer than my normal updates but I've been a bit busy. I hope you guys enjoy the chapter and I'll try to get another one up as soon as possible but unfortunately I'm finding this week being pregnant is just making my tired all the time, not very helpful with a hyper two year old in tow!

Disclaimer: As you all know I don't own anything and unfortunately I don't make any money from writing this it is only for my own and your own amusement.

Special thanks as always to my beta JenJenSon for helping me with all my stories!

What Happens Now?

Chapter Nine

It was Hermione that woke first on Saturday morning, to find herself sprawled across the chest of the potions master. She jumped and leapt back in shock causing him to startle away also.

"What is it?" he asked, after lowering his wand from where it was pointed straight in her face.

"Nothing." Hermione replied quickly, flushing heavily.

"Then go back to sleep, it's the weekend." He muttered, lying back down and rolling his face into the pillow.

"Um..." Hermione didn't really know what to do or say. Had that ever happened before? She had never noticed it before but then again usually he was already up and gone when she woke up so she wouldn't have necessarily noticed...how on earth did she end up all the way over his side of the bed in the first place.

"I can hear your brain working Hermione." He called to her. "Either go back to sleep or get up so you don't sit in the bed and fidget."

"Sorry." She replied quietly, sitting up to climb out of the bed.

"You get hot at night." He said suddenly, causing her to turn back to him. He still laid facing away from her.

"Excuse me?" she asked confused, trying to form the link in her mind to where that comment had come from.

"If you are wondering why you have a habit of climbing all over me in the night I wondered the same thing until I realised that you appear to be getting hot at night and since I am cold you end up crawling all over my side of the bed." He replied, rolling onto his back to stare up at her. "The only reason I have not banished you from my side of the bed is firstly because you are asleep when you do it and secondly because it keeps me warm."

"Oh..." Hermione said dumbly, her eyes falling on his bare chest. She hadn't actually seen him shirtless in the light, she knew he slept without a shirt on but the lights were off by then so she had never really paid attention before...she was actually surprised at the tight lean muscles that stretched across his chest and upper stomach. She couldn't see anything further because the covers were in the way and she felt heat rise to her cheeks as she realised exactly who it was she was letting her eyes wander over.

"I don't like repeating myself, in or out not somewhere in between." He murmured, throwing his arm over his eyes to block the light out. Hermione found herself lying back down although she wasn't really sure why. "You changed your mind."

"What do you mean?" she asked, rolling away from him.

"You were going to get out of the bed a few minutes ago looking scared out of your wits I might add." He replied.

"I'm not scared of you." She replied.

"Oh dear," he replied, rolling to face her and dropping his arm over her middle to rest his hand against her stomach. "I really will have to try harder."

Hermione's breathing stopped; she literally forgot how to breathe from shock. Professor Snape, the feared Potions Master and evil bat of the dungeons was effectively hugging her to him in bed. How in the world was she supposed to respond to that? She didn't even know what to think about it let alone how to react. So she said nothing, did nothing, just stayed where she was and let him idly stroke her stomach feeling the bump containing their child.

Hermione figured that they both must have fallen back asleep because she awoke about an hour later and tried to stretch, finding herself held tightly against the length of her husband behind her. Her movements must have woke him though because he loosened his grip and leant up on his elbow.

"I suppose it is time to get up now, best not waste the entire day." He commented, releasing her completely and getting out of bed to head straight to the bathroom for a shower.

Hermione just sat up and stared at the bathroom door, which he had disappeared behind seconds earlier, was she still asleep? This morning just seemed far too...surreal...

After Hermione had taken her turn in the shower and gotten herself dressed she found their rooms empty, Severus had clearly decided to make an escape for now at least. So she left him a note and decided to take a trip to the burrow to visit everyone; after all she knew Ginny and Harry would be there at some point today and if they weren't up and there yet she could easily wait and enjoy the company of the other Weasley's.

"Hello?" Hermione called, stepping out of the fireplace and into the Weasley's living room. "Urgh..." She fought back a momentary feeling of nausea and headed through to the kitchen.

"Hermione dear come straight through!" she heard Mrs Weasley call out.

"Why if it isn't Mrs Snape." George grinned up at her from the table.

"Mornin' 'Mione." Ron nodded to her.

"Take a seat dear." Molly urged, practically placing Hermione at the table and passing her a plate. "Help yourself dear."

"Thanks." Hermione smiled gratefully. "I forgot to eat before I left."

"Well since Harry just flooed to say they won't be over for a while yet Ginny and his shares are up for grabs." Arthur smiled from the head of the table. "He doesn't dare wake Ginny and I don't blame him."

"Neither do I!" George agreed. "She fell asleep on the sofa the other day and I woke her up and ended up covered in bat bogeys."

"Well maybe if you hadn't chosen to wake her up by using one of your "special alarms" she would have gone easier on you." A voice came from the front door.

"Charlie Weasley!" Molly exclaimed, going over to him and embracing him tightly. "Get your behind at that table!"

"What brings you here Charlie?" Ron asked, as his older brother took a seat at the table.

"Morning everyone." Charlie greeted. "I'm going to Hogwarts actually."

"Why?" Ron asked with a mouthful.

"Actually you should ask Hermione here." Charlie grinned, "Apparently this whole mad thing was her idea in the first place."

"Actually Luna sort of had an idea I just made it a slightly more realistic one." Hermione corrected.

"My Luna?" Ron asked. "What idea?"

"Dragons." Charlie grinned. "What else?"

"Luna? Dragons? Oh no, what's she been waffling on about now?" Ron asked.

"Ronald Weasley don't you speak badly of you future wife!" Mrs Weasley chided, whacking him on the back of the head.

"Well, Luna said that it would be good to have dragons in Hagrid's class. Well, you remember Norbert? Hagrid explained that Hogwarts wasn't really the place to keep a dragon as a pet and I thought of the tournament and of course Charlie and suggested maybe borrowing a dragon once a year for a lesson or two and then ship them back." Hermione explained.

"Yeah real simple Hermione." Charlie said rolling his eyes. "I got a letter from Professor McGonagall asking if I'd be interested in coming over to do a lecture once a year on dragons for Hagrid's class and here I am."

"I think it's wonderful. Maybe now we'll see you twice a year instead of just at Christmas." Molly said. "That way I can work on getting you settled down!"

"I don't think there are many witches lined up to marry wizards that work with dragons; it tends to come with quite a high risk of becoming a widow." Charlie replied casually. "If I didn't know better mother I'd think you were disappointed the ministry didn't make me marry someone."

"How did you get past that one?" a voice called from the fireplace and Hermione grinned widely at seeing Harry and Ginny by the door.

"Don't be silly Harry, the ministry would be foolish to think they could control all the Wizards that left the country." Hermione told him.

"Exactly." Charlie nodded. "And that is another reason not to come back." Meanwhile Hermione had left her seat and thrown her arms tightly around her best friend.

"Harry, I feel like I haven't seen you in forever!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Hermione you see me almost every week." He laughed.

"I know but it's still strange being at Hogwarts without you." She replied, turning to greet Ginny.

"Um...Hermione not to be rude but...when did that happen?" Charlie asked, pointing to Hermione's swollen stomach. Hermione laughed, realising that she had been sat at the table the whole time he had been here so he hadn't noticed her bump until now.

"It's a mini Snape." George whispered to his brother.

"Stop picking on my bump!" Hermione protested as Charlie pulled a face.

"You're not going to comment on mine then?" Ginny asked, pouting at her older brother.

"Yours was expected." He shrugged. "Besides it's not as obvious and Mum had already told me about it in her letters."

"That you never write back to I might add." Molly interrupted.

"I write at least once a month. You write me every few days!" he argued, causing everyone else to laugh. One thing was certain; the Weasley's would always be able to put a smile on her face. Here she felt like she was part of one big happy family. She had never managed to track her parents down after the war and even if she had she doubted she would have been able to return their memories so Molly had taken her in. She had lived with them after the war right up until her Wedding when she had moved back to Hogwarts.

"Hermione writes to me more often than you do and she usually visits once a week!" Molly insisted. "I expect more of an effort! As a matter of fact Ron writes more than you do!"

"Oh dear, now you're in for it." George grinned.

"How did I get dragged into this?" Ron asked, looking up from his plate bewildered.

"Because you don't write to anyone, ever." Hermione replied.

"And you can barely write." Ginny laughed. Ron just huffed and continued to finish his breakfast.

"And when are you going to invite your future wife over here?" his mother asked, suddenly turning her attention onto Ron. Ron just rolled his eyes. "I mean it! I don't want to be meeting her at the wedding."

"Mum you've already met her." Ron groaned. "Luna Lovegood remember, the barking mad one with blonde hair."

"I know who she is but don't you think she should get to know the family?" his mother argued, as if the fact that she in fact did know exactly who he was marrying was completely irrelevant to her argument.

Ron looked up from his plate with a thoughtful look around the room at his family before replying, "No."

Please don't forget to hit that little review button to let me know what you think! Also I'm currently pregnant so if anyone has any nice baby names please feel free to suggest. So far for a girl we have either Annabelle, Amelia or Lily and a boy Ciaran, James or Freddie so if anyone has any ideas please do suggest them.


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Notes: Wow I have to say I am amazed at the jump in reviews from the last chapter. When I saw them I had to get this typed up as quickly as possible and sent off to my beta to keep you all happy. Talk about encouragement! You guys are brilliant! Anyways please enjoy the chapter and let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing and make nothing.

A big thanks to my beta JenJenSon for all her help and for always getting these back so quickly, you guys should really check out her stories because they're great.

What Happens Now?

Chapter Ten

Hermione glanced in the mirror one last time, finally satisfied that her hair was in fact under control and her make-up was as good as it was going to get she exited the bathroom.

"Oh finally." Severus muttered. "Are you quite finished or would you like to arrive at the wedding after the bride?" It was only after he spoke that he actually looked up to see Hermione's handiwork. Clearly her time had been well spent...

"Oh stop over-reacting the wedding doesn't start for nearly an hour and it's only outside." Hermione retorted, brushing straight past him to the door. "Coming?" She turned back to her grumpy husband still sat where she had left him.

"So now you're in a hurry?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and standing. "Make me wait while you spend all morning getting ready and after two seconds of waiting for me to finish my thought you feel the need to complain?"

"Well..." Hermione bit her lip as his eyes bore down at her. She felt a little bad when he said it like that.

"That thought could have been very important." He said, opening the door and gesturing her to lead the way.

"I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to think after the wedding, all summer in fact." Hermione reminded him, as they walked swiftly down the hallways.

"Not with you interrupting my thoughts all summer I won't." He smirked, stepping outside.

"You should wear colour more often." Hermione commented, eying the dark green waistcoat under his black jacket. "Much better than black, black and more black." She didn't tell him that with his hair freshly washed and brushed black out of his face he actually looked almost handsome...in the older rugged kind of way, but then again that isn't something she would dare tell him.

Severus said nothing. He didn't tell her that seeing her in her deep green dress that hung loosely over her rounded stomach and low enough for him to get a rather nice view of her now plentiful breasts was very alluring. He didn't tell her that her hair and make-up made her look like a beautiful young woman, all traces of girl gone from her now, and he certainly didn't tell her that she took his breath away the minute she walked out of that bathroom. He now had to come to terms with the fact that he was attracted to his wife.

"Hermione!" George called to her from where he stood near the tent entrance. "You've crossed over! He's finally done it and turned you into a Slytherin!"

"Oh George be quite!" Hermione chided. "It's just a dress."

"And it looks lovely on you," he told her; he nodded to her husband standing awkwardly next to her. "Afternoon Professor."

"Good afternoon Mr Weasley." He replied.

"Harry and Ron told me to wait for you 'Mione so I could bring you to say hello before the bride gets here." George told them.

"I shall take a seat and wait for you." Severus said, ducking into the tent. Hermione followed George around the outside of the tent to the back. Inside a much smaller tent behind the main one they found Ron stood with his parents, Bill and Harry.

"'Mione!" Harry and Ron greeted at the same time.

"Hi boys." Hermione replied. "Nervous yet Ron?"

"Bloody right I am!" he replied.

"Well, good luck dear, we'll see you afterwards." Molly said, hugging him tightly.

"Good luck son." Arthur nodded, patting him firmly on the shoulder, before they both left the tent.

"Don't worry about anything little brother, it can't end any worse than mine can it?" Bill grinned, following his parents out.

"Great...'cause that's not tempting fate." Ron said nervously. "Harry, Hermione; how on earth did you guys do this?"

"Marrying Ginny was easy, I was a little bit nervous but...I chose Ginny as my wife so it's a bit different for me." Harry replied.

"Hermione?" Ron asked. "How did you make yourself stay so calm when you married Snape?"

"Actually...I think I was still in shock when we got married since we just decided to get it over with straight away." Hermione replied carefully. "But Ron, Luna is a good match for you. You're friends and she's a lovely person. She'll love you Ron, she really will."

"I really didn't plan on getting married at nineteen you know, and babies certainly weren't high on the priority list." He said, he turned to Hermione, his eyes lowering to her rounded baby bump. "I always thought if I was going to get married it would be to you Hermione."

"Oh Ron," Hermione breathed, hugging him tightly, burying her face in his neck. "I know. But perhaps...perhaps the ministry wasn't completely wrong to decline our match. I'm not convinced we would have lasted, we don't have enough in common."

"Hermione how can you say that?" he asked, "After everything we've been through...I still love you." Hermione felt tears start to prickle her eyes and held onto them as fiercely as she could.

"Ron," she told him firmly, stepping back slightly and taking his hands. "There will always be a special place in my heart with your name on it but I am married now and you are about to be. You are about to marry a wonderful girl; a beautiful brave girl who can make you happy if you let her. We have to let go of what we had, remember the good times and let it go."

"What about you Hermione? Are you happy?" he asked, not looking at her.

"Yes Ron, I think I am, or at least I think I will be in time." She replied. "I don't love Severus, but we get along and that is enough for now."

"Ron, it's time." Harry said quietly interrupting their moment. "Hermione, I'm sorry you've got to go take a seat."

"It's ok." Hermione nodded. "You'll be fine Ron."

"'Mione," Ron stopped her from leaving, catching her arm and pulling her to him. Before she could blink his lips were on hers and she was kissing him back. She pulled away quickly, blushing furiously. How could she have let that happen? "Goodbye."

"Bye Ron." Hermione whispered. "I'll see you after the wedding."

Hermione quietly took a seat next to Severus, guilt churned in her stomach. Why on earth had she let him do that? More importantly why had she kissed him back? She told herself not to be stupid, that a kiss goodbye to end their relationship properly after the ministry had effectively ended it for them was not such a crime but then why did she feel so guilty about it.

She sat silently and watched as Luna walked in with her father, she looked beautiful. Ginny followed with Teddy and Lavender, Hermione had been asked but she didn't feel comfortable in the spotlight with her now large stomach. Hermione was now nineteen weeks pregnant and found it hard to believe that she would get bigger.

Ginny however had no concerns about the spotlight, even though at fifteen weeks she was easily as big as Hermione she was certainly not shy. Molly had told Ginny that she looked like she was having twins when she appeared to have a distinctive bump at only eleven weeks, it turned out that she was right when the twelve week scan revealed that Ginny was indeed having twins. Ginny was thrilled and although slightly nervous about the double arrival Harry was also excited.

After the ceremony the chairs were rearranged in the tent with tables and food was served, music played and couples and children got up to dance.

"Do you mind if I borrow Hermione Professor?" George asked, offering Hermione his hand.

"By all means, as long as she returns in one piece." Severus replied. So Hermione was reluctantly dragged onto the dance floor to dance.

"Careful George!" Hermione warned. "I warn you, it'll be like you're steering a boat."

"Nah, not a boat Granger Snape." He grinned. "Maybe a small car..."

"George that's no way to treat a lady!" a voice called, and Hermione found herself tugged from one Weasley's arms and into another. "Afternoon Hermione, you look lovely today."

"Why thank you Charlie." Hermione laughed, "Thanks for rescuing me from your brother. He's more hyperactive than usual."

"Haven't you heard?" Charlie asked. "Angelina is pregnant; he's wetting the baby's head."

"Ah, of course." Hermione laughed. "Goodness there's going to be a whole new wave of Weasleys. Ginny and Harry's twins, Angelina's and Fleur's babies too...everyone is growing up."

"Save me." Charlie grinned wickedly.

"Can I cut in?" they turned to see Harry who took Hermione's hands and left Charlie to dance with his sister. "Are you alright Hermione?"

"I'm fine." Hermione nodded. "Really, it was hard for a moment but I'm happy for them both and I'm happy."

"I'm glad." Harry said, "You look really beautiful tonight 'Mione. I just thought you should know."

"Thanks Harry, you know you're the third person to tell me I look nice today?" she smiled. "I'm beginning to think I normally look awful!"

"I trust none of those was your husband?" Harry asked.

"Don't be silly Harry." Hermione laughed. "I don't mind though, he's been nicer to me than I expected so I'm grateful for that."

"May I?" Hermione jumped as she heard none other than the man himself interrupt them.

"Of course Professor." Harry nodded, "I'd best go rescue my own wife about now anyway...I think George was dancing with her last."

Hermione felt herself flush as Severus took her hands and began to move her on the dance floor. To start with their movements were awkward and hesitant but after a while they both relaxed a little.

"Are you doing alright with this?" he asked, "Today I mean, the wedding."

"Of course." Hermione nodded.

"You're lying." He told her.

"I'm not lying, I'm fine really." She replied, glancing up at his face. "It's just weird that everyone is getting married and starting a family I guess."

"And I suppose the fact that you have feelings for Mr Weasley has nothing to do with your complacency?" he asked, his brow arching as if daring her to lie. Hermione sighed in defeat.

"It isn't just that." She replied defensively. "I mean, that is a bit strange but..."

"You thought that you would all be having dream weddings to soul mates and living happy ever after like Mr Potter and Miss Weasley?" he asked.

"Well, you don't have to say it like that but I suppose." Hermione agreed. "I'm not going to lie, this isn't what I expected and it certainly isn't what I planned but I still stand by what I said before, I could have done a lot worse."

"For what it is worth, so could I." He said, it was the first time that he had said as much and it surprised Hermione. "Hermione could you picture me being tied to someone like Miss Lovegood or Miss Brown over there? In fact can you think or any other witch who could put up with me?"

"Well, when you put it like that..." she laughed. "But we are in agreement that there is the same shortage of wizards who would be able to put up with me."

"I'm not so sure." He commented. "I think the remaining Weasley would certainly have an eye for you if you were not already taken."

"Charlie? Are you kidding?" Hermione grinned. "He is refusing to come back to the country to avoid getting married! Not to mention the fact that it is generally considered a bad move to date your brother's ex."

"Of course." He agreed. Hermione found that she actually felt more comfortable dancing with him than she thought she would and he had definitely relaxed since they started, he had been rigid and uncomfortable before but now held her comfortably to him as they moved around the dance floor. She noticed his eyes drifting to her stomach and smiled to herself.

"Are you proud of that?" she smirked.

"W-what?" he asked, snapping his eyes back to hers.

"How massive you made my stomach." She grinned.

"That's not what I...I just, I never thought I would have this." He told her, he'd never admit that he was mostly staring down her dress rather than at her stomach.

"Well now you do." Hermione said firmly. "Just remember how pleased you are now when you're getting mad at a screaming baby."

Make a writer happy, click that little review button :D


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Notes: I'm so glad that you guys are beginning to really get into the story! Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, especially those of you that keep coming back to see the updates. I really hope you enjoy this chapter, I just had to get it up quickly when I saw all the reviews.

Disclaimer: Yup you guessed it I don't own it and I make no money from it!

As always thanks to JenJenSon for helping me with my stories and for getting them beta'd so quickly so that you guys can enjoy them. :D

What Happens Now?

Chapter Eleven

It was the day that Hermione first arrived at Severus's house at Spinner's End that she decided she should probably tell him what had happened with Ron. After all, yes he would be mad about it but really she had forgiven herself for it and didn't feel like she had done anything horribly wrong. Yes it was wrong to kiss Ron back, but it truly was a goodbye. It was closure. It was an end to anything that they had between them and now they would be the friends that they were before. Ron had told Luna after all and she was fine with it. It hadn't bothered her in the slightest simply stating that it was all right for him to not love her yet but that one day they would.

The house was small, only a bathroom and bedroom upstairs and living room and kitchen downstairs. Severus had pointed out a basement that apparently was his potions lab and so she was not to go down there unless specifically instructed since it was his private space. She wanted to point out that she didn't exactly have a bit of private space to call her own but once she had seen the books lining the walls, shelves and tables of the living room, kitchen and bedroom had decided that she had plenty to occupy her time without having a private space for the moment. She could argue that point when they got the new house.

"There are no supplies so one of us will need to go and obtain them shortly." He told her. "Hermione were you listening to me? No, no of course you weren't you are looking at the books still."

"I'm sorry what?" Hermione asked, looking back to him a little embarrassed.

"Drop the word book into a sentence and I have your attention." He smirked. "I said we have bare cupboards. We will have to go and get some supplies later."

"Yes of course." Hermione nodded, looking back around the room. "I'll just unpack then." She eyed the bedroom warily; it was a lot smaller than their bedroom back at the Hogwarts. Maybe telling him what happened with Ron was a bad idea...the house was so small that there was nowhere to hide from his inevitable anger.

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked, noticing her stiff face.

"I'm fine." She nodded.

"Hermione, as you have pointed out on more than one occasion I am Slytherin, I am an expert when it comes to lying, liars and spotting a lie so you really should stop trying because you aren't very good at it." He retorted.

"Sorry, I just...I don't really want to talk about it." She replied. "Maybe later."

"Very well, in future just say that." He nodded, leaving her to unpack.

The evening found Hermione in the kitchen cooking them dinner the muggle way and Severus downstairs making a lot of loud banging noises and swearing. Hermione had given up calling down to him to check that he was in one piece because she just got her head bitten off. She instead focused on putting the shopping away around the house and then making dinner.

When putting away the shopping for the bathroom she had found piles of books shoved in the cupboard that she had to clear out and return to the living room, in the bedroom most of the draws and cupboards also housed a book here and there and in the kitchen several cupboard, although empty of food or cleaning products did contain piles of books and cobwebs. At least she knew that her husband would never make fun of her for reading too much or having too many books.

Hermione had cleaned the kitchen both with charms and then scrubbed the surfaces with the cleaning products they had brought earlier before cooking dinner and serving it up at the table. She felt butterflies start in her stomach; she had only ever eaten alone with Severus once before when he took her out to eat. Neither of them had spoken much until she had asked him a few questions relevant to her degree research and they mostly stayed on that topic.

Now they would be eating alone together every day...all summer.

"Dinner's on the table when you're ready!" she called down the stairway to the basement. She headed back to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water to have with her dinner and almost dropped it when she heard him appear in the kitchen doorway.

"I just need to wash up and I shall be back down." He told her. She nodded and made her way to the table to wait for him.

"Not sorry for scaring the living hell out of you then?" she mumbled to herself. She accio'd the salt and pepper over to the table from the side and by the time she had got herself comfortable and was sure she hadn't forgotten anything she heard Severus heading back down the stairs.

He entered the kitchen cloak now gone in black trousers and a black jumper; it was probably the most casual she had ever seen him be when he wasn't going to bed. He took a seat at the table opposite her and looked at the food in front of him.

"It's only pasta and grilled chicken, nothing fancy." Hermione told him. "I'm going to do a roast tomorrow if you'd like?"

"I did not expect you to cook for me every night like a housewife just because there are no house elves." He told her, lifting his fork and digging in.

"That's OK, I quite like it really." She shrugged. "I just figured you seem like the sort of person who forgets to eat if you're in the middle of something."

"You would be correct in that assumption, the funny thing is that I had the same assumption about you." He replied.

"And normally you would be right as well but since my appetite came back I'm always hungry." She grinned. "So, what was all the drama downstairs about then or is it a secret?"

"Cleaning and packing." He replied.

"Packing?" Hermione enquired.

"My lab will take the longest to pack because I cannot use magic on any of the potions ingredients to avoid contaminating them." He explained. "I thought I'd get a head start, pack up anything I am not likely to use in the next few weeks so that during our last week here we can pack everything up and start looking for somewhere straight away."

"Oh, well...when you do find a new house for us you might want to consider an extra room just for books because they are literally in every room here." She laughed. "Did you know that there were actually three books on your wine rack? And three of these kitchen cupboards housed only books?"

"I don't doubt it." He nodded. "If I am reading something that captures my attention I tend to wander around with it rather than put it down so books do have a habit of ending up all over the house."

"You should use the charm I use on my books." She smirked. "Any book that is sat unopened for over a day magically returns itself to my bookshelf to avoid me losing them."

"You know that is actually a fairly genius idea." He grunted. "If I have enough space on my bookshelves for all the books I would actually consider the idea."

"We need our own library." She laughed.

"Library we shall have." He said after a few moments silence. "In fact I insist upon it. If we are to find a house big enough for us and the child then we should at least find one large enough for our books so that we are actually able to buy new ones guilt free."

"And would I be aloud unlimited access to this library?" Hermione asked, looking up at him.

"You think I would be that cruel?" he asked, "Do you think I could actually bother to put up with your constant badgering if you weren't?"

As they finished their meal Hermione decided that while he seemed to be in a good mood and since he would probably be heading straight back down to the basement anyway she would tell him now. Get it over with.

"I kissed Ron." She blurted out, instantly kicking herself for her complete lack of tact.

"I was aware that you were in a relationship with Mr Weasley already." He replied.

"No, not then." Hermione said slowly, closing her eyes as if not being able to see him would stop him from being angry. "At the wedding."

"I see." He said slowly. "And I take it from the confession that this was not of innocent nature?"

"If you mean like kissing a brother then no." She replied. "Look I know it was stupid, I know it was wrong but he kissed me and I let him, I even kissed him back but it won't happen again."

"You think I would let you even dare to contemplate such an action again?" he roared, standing from the table abruptly.

"It wasn't on purpose! Look I can't help the fact that I was in love with him and the ministry told us no can I? We don't love each other, I know that but I was saying goodbye to someone who did love me!" she argued back. "I was letting him go, saying goodbye. It's properly over now because we had some kind of closure that was on our terms. I'm sorry about the way that it happened but at least now I can move on, get on with my life and forget that love now."

"Love?" he asked incredulously. "You're lacking in the romance department in your actual marriage so you thought you'd steal a few moments of it with someone else?" She backed away from him as he approached her, she had known he was going to be angry but she had hoped he would shout then storm off like he usually did.

"That isn't anything like what I just said." She replied quietly. Shouting back at him wasn't having any affect whatsoever so she may as well just wait until he finished.

"Did it feel good Hermione? Kissing someone else's betrothed?" he spat at her as she realised she was now out of floor space, her back pressed against the counter. She chanced a nervous look up at her fuming husband, trying to stop her eyes from darting to the doorway. He lowered his face until it was within an inch of hers, causing her to jump when he slammed his fists against the cupboards just behind her head. "Are you scared of me now Hermione?"

Hermione bit her lip, she wanted so badly to say no but she knew it would be a lie and worst of all she knew that he knew it too.

"A little." She whispered, then she dared to look back to his eyes that instantly seemed to bear into hers like he was searching for something. "But I know you won't hurt me."

"If you know that then why have you gone so pale?" he asked, reaching one hand down to stroke her cheek. "Why are you breathing like you are trying to outrun the Dark Lord himself? Why is your heart beating so fast hmm?" He slid his hand down to press against her chest, feeling her heartbeat fluttering wildly below his palm.

"Because you can be very intimidating when you're truly angry." She replied, her eyes fixing on his hand where it rested against her heart. "It was a goodbye kiss Severus; if you want to see it I will let you."

"Like you could stop me." He retorted.

"Probably not, but I give you permission." She replied. "If you don't believe me that it was the closure that I needed that it truly was goodbye and that it won't happen again then you can see it for yourself."

She stayed silent, daring not to say another word as he continued to lock his eyes with hers and just stare at her. She kept waiting for him to enter her mind but he didn't. The jolt of memories being pulled in front of her never came. Instead she let out a loud startled gasp as his hand fisted her top and pulled her against him until his lips met hers.

Severus drove his lips over hers almost violently until he was able to plunge his tongue into her mouth, Hermione couldn't help her body's completely surrender as she heard herself moan none too quietly. She reached her hands up to grip at his jumper, holding him as close as he was her as she attempted to return the kiss with the same vigour. His hands shifted, running the length of her, feeling her sides, her hips and holding her close as his lips left her and dove downwards to her neck. It was the next moan of pleasure that he heard from her lips that seemed to break through to him. Instantly he let her go and backed away from her.

He said nothing, his face gave nothing away and he simply turned away and left the room. Hermione's hand fumbled behind her to grab the counter for support. What the hell had just happened?

Go on...hit the button you know you want to...


	12. Chapter 12

Author's notes: I am absolutely gobsmacked at the number of reviews my last chapter got and I hope I can continue to keep you happy and thank you all so much for reviewing the story. Sorry guys it took a few days to get this up but I've been crazy busy and my beta had laptop issues but anyhow it's here now so enjoy!

Disclaimer: You know the drill, I don't own it and I don't make any money.

As always a special note of thanks to my beta JenJenSon for her help

What Happens Now?

Chapter Twelve

It took Hermione a good few minutes for her brain to actually process what had just happened, after which she decided before she decided to try and bring up the incident with him she would let him think it over also. So she cleared the table and washed the dishes before going and finding one of the many books to read and sitting herself down in the living room by the fire.

He had been angry one minute and if she thought about it he was allowed to be angry. Of course a man would normally be angry if his wife kissed another man, she was just hoping he would be a little more reasonable considering that theirs was not exactly a normal marriage and she had been expected to drop all relations and feelings with Ron and get married to her old Professor in the space of a month. They had nearly been married six months now, perhaps if she had issues she should have dealt with them a long time before she did.

Anyway the next minute she had felt like she was being hunted, preyed upon and then he had kissed her. How complicated did that make things? Obviously kissing your husband was normal but...she just hadn't let herself expect it from him. They hadn't even kissed at the wedding since it was a ministry affair. God...their first kiss had happened in the middle of an argument because she had kissed someone else and he had backed away as if nothing had happened.

He had to have felt something though, he certainly kissed her like he meant it and as surprising as it is there's definitely something there. Hermione almost laughed to herself at the thought she was attracted to her husband! Crazy!

Severus meanwhile had retreated to the safety of his private basement. To begin with he just paced for a minute or two cursing himself for his actions but after a while he began to process his thoughts and calmed himself down so that he was able to start brewing. He had decided to make use of the summer by brewing all the stocks that the infirmary would need in the following year, he had also thought it would be a good reason to have alone time, away from his wife.

He just couldn't stand the thought that _his_ wife, the woman carrying _his_ child had kissed another man. Why did he kiss her? What on earth was he trying to prove? Just because they had managed to form a friendship of sorts over the past few months to allow them to live together for coming decades without driving one another completely mental, he hadn't ever actually planned on sleeping with his wife again.

He mentally cursed himself for not actually thinking that idea through. He hadn't actually thought of the fact that if he was never going to sleep with his wife then he wouldn't actually be sleeping with anyone unless he went elsewhere. He had just made his thoughts on Hermione looking elsewhere for such things unacceptable so he had effectively doomed them both to a life lacking any physical contact due to his lack of planning.

So they had two choices; either he allowed her to go elsewhere so that he could also...or he slept with his wife. He was horrified at the thought, not because picturing Hermione in such a manner was unappealing...on the contrary he now found himself quite easily picturing her moaning beneath him or bouncing above him with her nice round breasts moving in time...he growled and threw himself down into his chair in frustration. A couple of weeks ago he would never had been able to picture such a thing but since dancing with her at the blasted Weasley's wedding he couldn't stop the images from springing to mind.

All of this was Wealsey's fault! Regardless of whether it actually was or not it felt far better to blame him!

What was horrifying was the fact that it was a complication that he had wanted to avoid, not to mention that she would not necessarily like the idea of sleeping with him despite her reaction to his kiss earlier. After all, their first time was not something he was proud of. It barely seemed real now since the memory was impaired thanks to his alcohol intake before the event. He had wanted to spare Hermione the pain and embarrassment of having sex with her former Professor against her will. Not that it was him forcing her, it was the ministry...but he still felt disgusted with himself for it even now. He doubted he'd ever forget it.

He couldn't entirely blame Hermione for letting that moron kiss her, in her eyes she may have thought it would be the last kiss she would get. If he was honest he wasn't all that angry with her, she loved the boy and couldn't exactly help it that instead the ministry had thrown her straight to someone else. However he couldn't get the thought of it out of his head. It was picturing it that kept driving him mad.

He waited until he heard the stairs creaking as Hermione made her way to bed before he dared emerge from the basement. He froze when he reached the top of the stone steps out of the basement only to see Hermione standing on the bottom step of the stairs staring at him.

Hermione was slightly impressed that her trick had worked. He was clearly avoiding her and when he did she knew he rarely made an appearance before she went to sleep. Normally she left him to it but this time she needed to face him. Maybe if they had another argument it would put an end to the stirrings in her stomach that refused to go away...either that or he could maybe kiss her again and they'd get an awful lot worse.

"Don't you dare." Hermione said quickly, as she noticed Severus foot lean backwards. "Take one step down there and I swear I will follow you down there until you talk to me privacy or no privacy."

"Being pregnant is giving you quite a gob." He muttered.

"Oh deal with it." Hermione retorted, crossing the living room to the sofa and sitting down. "Why did you run away?"

"I hardly think that could be called running." He replied, not moving.

"You know what I'm talking about." She said bluntly. "I would have thought having your past, you'd be able to face a pregnant nineteen year old."

"Well there lies the problem doesn't it." He spat, pacing over to stand in front of her. "Nineteen Hermione, you are nineteen!"

"Which I'm pretty sure makes me an adult despite your opinion. Not to mention I'm your wife and already pregnant!" she shouted. "What on earth are you trying to avoid because I'm pretty sure the ministry doesn't care whether I'm nineteen or not! They don't care about all these seventeen year old witches and wizards that they're forcing into marriage and throwing children at! They don't care that all these children will grow up in horrible home environments because their parents don't love each other and they don't care that they could be taking away peoples hopes and dreams for a future! They don't care so why the hell do you?"

By this time Hermione wasn't bothering to hide the fact that she was crying, she had tried to act so grown up and logical since the law came into effect. Since she could do nothing about it she had really tried to take it as it came and rationalise everything...but she couldn't.

"Because I do care." She heard him say, only now he was closer to her, he now knelt in front of her, looking up at her and placing his hand on her leg. "Hermione age aside I am not a very pleasant man to be around, I cannot love you Hermione and it wouldn't be fair to let you get close to me only to never love you. I am all wrong for you, all I can try to do is look after you and try to stop you getting hurt."

"Why?" she asked quietly, meeting his eyes for the first time.

"Why what?"

"Why can't you love me?" she asked. "I don't mean now, I just mean one day...when we're old, lived are lives together for years...why not?"

"I won't let myself love anyone Hermione, not even you." He replied carefully.

"What about our baby?" she asked, wiping her eyes.

"That's different. The child will always be mine, a part of me." He replied, getting up to sit next to her on the sofa. Hermione knew he'd never offer more of an explanation than that but she didn't need one. Clearly someone had hurt him, or someone hadn't loved him back...whatever the reason for it he wouldn't let himself love someone not because he couldn't but because he was afraid. Severus Snape was afraid of something. She smiled slightly to herself at the discovery that he was a lot more human than he liked to act and slowly uncurled herself from her position huddled up in the corner of the sofa before curling up against her husband.

"I'll always be yours as well, Hermione Snape, for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness or in health, 'til death do us part." Hermione said softly.

"That's muggle vows, we said no such thing." He snorted, but didn't move her from her spot curled into his side.

"I don't care. We got married and marriage is for life so I'm afraid whether you like it or not you're stuck with me." She replied, reaching behind her to grab her book before she started to read from her spot at his side.

Severus stayed silent; he was actually sat in thought about what she had said. There were far worse people to be stuck with than the young bookworm beside him. In fact although he never would have picked her due to the age gap if he were to list qualities that he would be searching for in a wife...he had to admit that she had most of them.

After a few moments he realised that Hermione had no intention of moving so he summoned a book for himself. He was interrupted a few moments later by Hermione's shaking shoulders.

"Whatever do you find so amusing?" he asked.

"Us." She grinned up at him.

"Why in heavens name is this amusing to you?" he asked, pinching the bridge of his nose as if dreading the answer.

"Well, anyone else I know would definitely tell me off for reading on a Saturday night." She laughed. "Ginny always did say I acted like I was middle aged. Apparently that's a downer on a night out."

"I wouldn't know I tend to avoid nights out." He replied.

"Did you know I actually took a book with me to Ginny's hen party?" Hermione grinned up at him.

"That hardly surprises me." He drawled.

"Ginny was horrified, it was the only reason she let me get away with not having a hen party." She laughed. "Like I really wanted to go get drunk in a bar where I can't hear anything other than horrid music and then watch wizards stripping. How embarrassing!"

"Quite." He said dryly. Hermione went back to her reading in silence until sure enough Severus saw her drop her book. She seemed to have a habit of reading on the sofa and falling asleep, he wondered if she knew that he was the one that had to constantly carry her to bed or if she was under the impression that she somehow manages to stumble to bed by herself.

He continued to read until he had finished his chapter and then glanced at the clock, noting that it was nearly midnight he lifted Hermione's legs across him so that he could lift her into his arms and carefully carried her upstairs. It was certainly a bit more awkward trying to carry her up the stairs than it was just crossing the rooms to the bedroom at Hogwarts. He had to be careful not to bump her head on the wall of the narrow staircase or catch her feet on the banister but eventually he made it to the bedroom in one piece and settled her in the bed fully clothed. There was no way he was undressing her that was certain.


	13. Chapter 13

Author's Notes: Thanks to all of you again for reviewing. I really appreciate it. I'm going to apologise for this chapter now because it's a little all over the place as it's filler mostly I'm afraid but it's necessary and I hope you guys bear with me.

Disclaimer: You know the drill people, I don't own anything and I make no money from my random ramblings.

Special Thanks to my beta JenJenSon for her help with this and all of my stories and again if you're Harry Potter fans check out her stories because she's great.

Also a big congratulations to alannalove1990 on her pregnancy also

What Happens Now?

Chapter Thirteen

Hermione and Severus spent the next week minding their own business, although they did eat together almost every night. Hermione was able to find a lot of research information for her degree and was very hopeful that if she completed the last few experiments when she returned to the school she would be able to finish by Christmas. Of course that would also depend on the baby because she was already halfway through her pregnancy now and the baby would be due in the middle of December.

She had her twenty-week appointment today, it was a little later than planned mainly due to the sheer number of pregnancies that St Mungo's was now having to deal with. She couldn't wait to get another glimpse of her little one. Severus was convinced it was a boy and kept calling the baby a he even though they didn't know yet either way.

Hermione was still undecided whether she wanted to know for certain the sex of the baby at the scan or if she wanted to wait for it to be a surprise. She doubted she'd have made up her mind when she was actually there either.

She grinned as she felt the baby kicking her from inside, whenever she sat reading it seemed to decide that it was time to stretch and kick. It had been much more active this week although it did worry her a little what it would feel like when the baby was fully grown and trying to move inside her.

"Are you ready?" she shouted down the stone steps. "I need to go so if you're coming then you need to get up here!" Sure enough a few moments later she heard her husband grumbling his way up the stairs.

"Impatient woman." He muttered.

"Of course, I want to see the baby again." She replied excitedly stepping towards the fireplace. Severus rolled his eyes as Hermione hurried into the fireplace and disappeared in a flash of green flames. So with nothing else to do he followed.

On stepping out the other side he glanced around for Hermione, surely she hadn't just run straight off in her excitement without him? As he went to take a step he noticed something at his feet. Hermione lay in a crumpled heap by his feet. He bent down to her and shook her gently.

"Hermione?" he called. He began to shake her less gently trying to wake her, she looked like she was sleeping... Finally he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the reception, at least she was in the right place, he told himself trying not to start panicking yet. She was still breathing, her heart was still beating and they were at the hospital he could panic when something worse happened.

The receptionist called for help straight away and they were able to take Hermione straight through to a bed to check her over. Apparently his hovering and barking questions and demands at people wasn't particularly helpful though because they ended up sending him to the waiting room until they could actually tell him something.

So he paced the waiting room, it was frustrating not knowing what was going on. His first thought had been for Hermione but now he also thought about the baby. Was the baby alright? Was it something wrong with the baby that caused Hermione to collapse in the first place?

"Master Snape?" a voice called. "You can come see your wife now." He followed the older man back to the bed where Hermione had been brought. She was still unconscious and he could now see a redish purple bruise on the side of her head. "It looks like she just fainted that's all, but she hit her head on the floor when she did hence the bruise. It doesn't look like there's any other damage and the baby also appears to be fine I would say that it was just the travel that caused her to faint but her iron levels seem to be rather low so that could also be a factor. I'll prescribe her some iron potions for now and she'll have to start focusing on iron rich foods in her diet to try and avoid this in future but I think it's safe to say she's fine and free to go home as soon as she wakes up."

Severus didn't say anything he just nodded and took a seat next to the bed to wait for her to wake up. The Healer excused himself and left him to his thoughts, relief being the main one. All this over a simple fainting spell, although trust Hermione to be awkward enough to crack her head on marble floors on her way down.

He didn't have to wait too long for Hermione to wake up, around half an hour to an hour at most and he spent his time reading anyway.

"Urgh...what am I doing in bed?" she groaned, catching his attention.

"You fainted." He replied.

"Is the baby alright?" she asked suddenly worried.

"Fine, you're both fine." He said, placing his magazine down.

In the week following Hermione's fainting spell Severus had gotten so sick of Weasley's visiting his house that he had left Hermione in Molly's capable hands for a few days. Molly had insisted that she feed Hermione up to prevent any further fainting spells and had been appearing with homemade food so often anyway that he thought he'd just let the woman have at it and mother Hermione for a few days. It made it easier for him to spend time house hunting without worrying about the health of his wife at any rate.

Hermione had spent the last day being forced to stay off her feet and eat nearly every five minutes, to be honest she was already sick of being treated like a complete invalid but she knew that the family meant well and Molly probably knew best anyway so she just plastered on a smile to bear the attention.

She had always loved being at the burrow for the holidays with the boys but now that she had enjoyed peace and quiet she kind of missed it. She missed making dinner and having quiet alone time to read...after all she was already going to lose all her alone time when the baby came she wanted to try and make the most of it now.

"Here you go dear, a nice glass of milk." Molly said, handing her a glass. Hermione smiled her thanks and took the glass.

"Haven't made an escape yet?" George's voice called as he entered the house.

"Of course not." Hermione smiled back.

"If I were in your position I'd be planning the great escape yesterday and out today!" he laughed.

"If you were in my position I'd be worried." Hermione grinned, gesturing to her stomach. "Besides I'd say your mum is the expert so I'm doing as I'm told."

"You say that now." He said shaking his head and heading upstairs.

It was on the fourth day of her stay that she told everyone she really was better now, and that she should be able to take care of herself perfectly fine at home and thanks very much for having her. Severus came and got her almost instantly and she soon found herself relieved by the quietness of their home.

"You hear that?" she asked, flashing a grin at Severus behind her.

"I hear nothing." He replied bluntly.

"Exactly, nothing. Quiet." Hermione smiled, flopping down ungracefully on the sofa and letting out a big sigh. "I've missed this."

"Well don't get too attached because in less than four weeks we head back to the school and never come back to this house." He told her, tossing his outer cloak on a hook.

"Not the house silly, that fact that you don't feel the need to speak to me every five second of the day and make loud noises around the house in all of those other seconds." She laughed. "Oh!" Hermione's hand flew to her stomach in surprise as the baby placed a rather hard kick to her side.

"What?" Severus asked quickly, obviously still on edge from the incident last week.

"Come here." Hermione said urgently, waving her hand at him. She flinched again and he did as she said moving slowly closer. "Today! Come on, come here!"

No sooner had he stepped within arm's reach than she snatched his hand and placed it on her stomach. He instinctively went to pull away but she held his hand there.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Sssh. Just wait." Hermione insisted. Sure enough a few moments of awkward silence later Severus felt what she wanted him to, a small thud against his hand. "Did you feel it?" She asked excitedly. He just nodded, dropping to his knees so that he could place both hands comfortably on her stomach without bending in half.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, after a second stronger kick.

"Not really." Hermione replied shaking her head. "Not the kicks but sometimes it feels very strange when the baby turns over. It feels like it's rearranging my whole insides." She smiled as her husband absently caressed her stomach as they both felt the intermittent kicks of their unborn child. "You should see it! When I'm in the bath sometimes you can actually see my stomach move."

"He probably likes the bath." Severus replied.

"We don't know if it's a he yet." Hermione corrected. In the end they hadn't found out at the scan whether it was a boy or girl. Some days she regretted it and others she didn't which is why she decided she could wait another eighteen weeks give or take to find out.

"It's a boy." He said determinedly, seeing Hermione frown he continued. "_If_ it is a girl I wouldn't be disappointed in the slightest but I know that it's a boy."

"We should start thinking about buying some baby things." Hermione said thoughtfully. "We'll need loads of things, changing stuff, clothes, a crib, toys, a pram and bottles and things...blankets..."

"Thought about this have you?" Severus smirked up at her.

"Well...we're past halfway now so we ought to start getting some bits, even just a bit at a time." She said. "I can't believe I'm going to get bigger. Much bigger and I won't be able to fit through doorways."

"Have you _seen_ the new Mrs Potter recently?" her husband asked.

"But she's carrying twins." Hermione protested.

"And you're still carrying one baby too Hermione." He pointed out. "My point was that the youngest Weasley is now enormous, like she is supposed to be. You have a completely normal sized bump, like you are supposed to. There's not an ounce of fat anywhere else on you...except possibly your breast of course." Hermione's jaw dropped.

"I can't believe you just said that." She said quietly, blinking at him a few times.

"They're kind of hard to avoid." He smirked. "Besides every time I've seen any of those Weasley boys in the same room as you I've seen them cast at least one glance their way." Hermione felt herself flush, knowing her face would be bright red.

"I suddenly feel the need to wear a giant hoody for the next four months." She said, feeling rather awkward.

"If you wish." He shrugged, standing and heading towards the basement entrance. "Spoilsport."

Hermione stared at the spot he had just vacated in shock, what on earth had gotten into him? He was acting like...like...well she wasn't sure exactly but it certainly wasn't normal!

He would never tell Hermione this of course but, Severus was enjoying having his wife home again because as alarmed as he was to realise it he had actually missed her during the days she had been away.


	14. Chapter 14

Author's Notes: Oh my god! I'm am soooo sorry for taking so long to update! I'm quick badly anaemic and since being pregnant it's gotten worse and I feel like all I need to do is sleep! Plus there is the minor detail that at 14+ weeks I still can't keep any food down but anyways on with the story! I can't believe that this story has over 150 reviews already and I am so grateful because when I'm really not feeling it I look at those and suddenly feel like I have a reason to get the chapters out there!

Disclaimer: I own nothing and make no money from this it is only for fun. (and let's face it it is fun!)

A special thanks to my lovely beta JenJenSon for getting this chapter back so quick and if you're a Harry Potter fan do check out her stories because they're awesome!

What Happens Now?

Chapter Fourteen

Hermione and Severus had managed a whole week of each other's company acting perfectly civil, friendly even. Hermione was remarkably happy; she was in a comfortable home, with a nice growing bump and intelligent conversation to keep her company. What could be bad about that? Well...his temper of course.

Hermione had spent the afternoon in the garden, she was harvesting as many of the herbs and plants as she could to be moved to their new house while her husband was spending the day speaking to estate agents. He had asked her if she wanted to go but at the time she was feeling a little tired and hot and didn't really want to spend the day wandering around looking at houses or sat in little rooms talking about houses. She trusted that he would make a good choice anyway; after all he had to live there too.

Of course by the afternoon she had felt much better and very bored so she started to work in the garden. That was when her husband came home. She heard him before he even stepped out of the back door.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing woman?" he ranted at her.

"What on earth does it look like?" she asked, glancing up at him and squinting from the sun.

"Ruining all my potions ingredients that's what!" he snapped back. "Not to mention the danger to the baby with the poisonous ones!"

"Will you calm down I've ruined nothing!" she answered back getting to her feet, granted it took a little while for her to do that now that she was getting rather large.

"Well what have you done with them?" he demanded.

"On the kitchen table in the jars that you just walked past, which you would have seen if you had stopped to open your eyes before opening your mouth and shouting at me." She muttered back. She very quickly found her personal space invaded as he stepped forward and bore his eyes down on hers. She tried very hard to hold her ground but in the end her balance let her down and she took a small step backward.

"Do not get smart with me Hermione." He growled. "There were only a few jars on the table so where are the rest?"

"In the cupboard, unless they are the poisonous ones in which case they are in the ground where you left them. I'm not stupid." She replied quietly, giving up on the fight and just wanting to go indoors for a nice cold drink. His closeness was beginning to do funny things to her insides.

He looked a little deflated in his argument too but said nothing in response. Instead he let her turn away from him and head to the house.

"And that's what I get for trying to help." She muttered as she left.

Three days later and they were back to being civil again, although as usual no apology came. Hermione however was beginning to get frustrated. She had on occasion thought about that day that he had kissed her, it was probably the most passionate kiss she had ever had so how could she not think about it from time to time. The problem now was that ever since their most recent argument she had been wishing that he had done it again. Very badly. She had even tried to relieve some of her feelings herself but found it not very successful...perhaps she could get a book on the subject that may instruct her on how to relieve these...strange feelings.

So the next day on her shopping trip with Ginny where they both treated themselves to a few little baby items she very nearly did just that but wasn't sure if she could get away with buying it without Ginny seeing and it was far too embarrassing to get caught with...not to mention what her husband would think if he ever came across it in the house...no it was far to risky.

"'Mione what the hell is wrong with you today?" Ginny asked as they sat down for a quick drink and to rest their feet. "You've been agitated and distracted all day."

"I don't know Gin...if it makes you feel any better it's annoying me as much as it's annoying you." She sighed.

"If you weren't pregnant I'd say you were just in need of a good shagging but I think you've already managed that one just fine." A voice came from behind them.

"Ronald!" Ginny and Hermione chided at the same time.

"Good afternoon ladies." He grinned taking a seat at their table.

"Oh yes enter with a line about shagging and then move on to the common courtesies." Hermione murmured.

"What are you doing here?" Ginny asked him rudely.

"Um...I saw you sat down and thought I'd say hello? Can't I say hello to my favourite little sister?" he asked.

"Not, when I'm have a girly day out you can't." Ginny replied. "I need to talk to Hermione about something important and you're here so scoot."

"Um...alright fine." He huffed. "See you back at Hogwarts then Hermione."

"Yeah, I'll see you in a couple of weeks." Hermione nodded, looking at Ginny in complete bewilderment as her friend left. "What was that about?"

"My idiot brother just hit the nail right on the head." Ginny told her urgently. "You Hermione Snape are in need of a good shagging."

"Excuse me?" Hermione spluttered, putting her glass swiftly back on the table.

"Don't you get it, my mum did say pregnant women can get horny. Trust me last week Harry couldn't keep me off of him." Ginny explained.

"OK, Ginny I don't really want to picture Harry doing that thanks." Hermione replied pulling a face.

"And you think I want to picture you and Professor Snape?" Ginny asked indignantly. "Look my point is, last week I was horny as hell and this week I hate the thought of it and next week who knows! So Hermione you're probably just really horny and just need a good roll around in the bedroom."

"Um Gin...Severus and I don't...do that." Hermione said quietly, her cheeks flushing as she glanced around to check no one was listening. "This was the only time." She said shifting her gaze pointedly at her stomach.

"Tell me you're joking." Ginny said rolling her eyes. "You mean you seriously haven't done it for over five months!"

"Gin keep it down!" Hermione hissed at her. "Our relationship just isn't like that OK?"

"Well, then go get yourself a naughty book and do the job yourself but I'm telling you a good shag is what you need. I bet you're feeling pretty attracted to him at the moment right?" her friend continued.

After Hermione finally managed to wrap up their awkward conversation she headed home and avoided her husband like the plague, as if he would know just by looking at her that she desperately wanted him to ravish her. She made dinner for them in the afternoon and then quickly ate hers and left his on the table under a heating charm for when he came for it. She made a hasty retreat to the bathroom for a nice relaxing bath during which she tried once again to relieve her frustration herself but was convinced she was doing something wrong.

From the last few days of trying to experiment herself she couldn't see how someone's hands down there could possibly ever feel nice, it just felt strange to her and not particularly pleasurable. Maybe she was just doing it wrong...

She even made it into bed without seeing or speaking to Severus once and sat in bed reading a book on Polyjuice Potion and similar potions.

Severus was beginning to find his wife's behaviour somewhat suspect. She had been avoiding him since her trip to town, acting nervous before that...the last time she had acted this way it was because she had kissed another man and that didn't sit well with him.

After his thoughts would not leave him alone to read he decided that going to confront her like she had done to him before his mind drew all sorts of extreme conclusions by itself was probably the best bet.

He headed up to the bedroom earlier than he usually did and found Hermione throwing her book down on the bed in frustration.

"Problem?" he asked.

"S-severus." Hermione gasped. "Don't sneak up on people like that it's very rude." He put his hands up as a sign of surrender.

"I just thought that since you appear to be avoiding me, sneaking would be my best bet of speaking to my wife." He commented dryly.

"I haven't been avoiding you." She replied, but instantly she knew it was a lie and he knew it too.

"This isn't still about my shouting at you is it?" he asked. "Because you do shout back just as much. Not to mention your mood swings too, you did scream at me for not owning a muggle toaster the other day." Hermione let a small smile twitch across her lips at that.

"It's not that." She replied. "I'm not mad at you, I promise."

"Then why the hiding?" he asked. Hermione bit her lip as he approached the bed, she knew he would be annoyed if she didn't tell him and she couldn't lie because he could smell a lie a mile off...

"It's just a pregnancy thing." She tried, it wasn't a lie exactly but she knew he'd see the big "I'm missing out all the details on purpose" a mile off as well. He did and just raised an eyebrow in command for her to continue. "It's stupid really. You don't need to worry about it, I'm sure it'll pass." She internally kicked herself, she had nearly said it but as soon as her face began to flush she chickened out.

"Hermione." He said in a quiet but commanding voice. She closed her eyes in embarrassment and buried her face into her folded arms, where they rested on her knees.

"I'm frustrated." She admitted. "Physically..."

It took Severus a few moments of awkward silence to actually twig on to what she was saying; frustrated had meant very little to him and physically implied that she was fed up of her back aching on her feet swelling. It was only her obvious embarrassment that tipped him off as to what she actually meant.

"I see." Was all he said, he tried not to wince himself at how ridiculous he sounded.

"I'm sorry, I just thought if I avoided you until it went away...I ever tried to..." Hermione trailed off in horror of what she had actually been about to admit to him.

"Tried to what?" he asked suspiciously. If she had been trying to relieve her sexual frustrations with another man to save her embarrassment in front of him he certainly would not be amused.

"Myself...but I think there's something wrong with me." She admitted in defeat, still not daring to raise her head from its buried position. He couldn't help but let out a small chuckle at her admission. All this fuss because she was sexually frustrated and was embarrassed about trying to pleasure herself? "I'm glad you find it amusing." She muttered.

"Hermione you don't need to be embarrassed about it." He laughed. "I'm sure you're not the first pregnant woman in the world to feel horny and I certainly know you are not the first woman in the world to touch herself, after all they even sell certain novelty items for it."

"It's still embarrassing." She insisted.

"Is that why you've been hiding up here all afternoon and evening?" he asked.

"What? You think I've spent all day doing...that?" she exclaimed, flinging her head up sharply and then startling backwards in surprise at how close he was. "I most certainly have not! I already told you there's something wrong with me!"

"Hermione, there is nothing wrong with you." He grinned. "It could be anything, maybe you're just pressuring yourself and worrying about it too much or perhaps it's something that requires practise for you."

"I am not having this conversation with you." Hermione groaned, burying her head again.

"You already are. Besides, would you rather talk to someone else and start the whole conversation from the beginning again?" he asked. "I am your husband after all, what do you think Miss Weasley would do in your situation?"

"It's Mrs Potter and I know full well what she would do, in her own words "Harry couldn't get her off of him"." Hermione replied sarcastically. "I just...I've never done this before and it sounds so stupid to say that when clearly I have." She sighed her hands gesturing to her stomach. After a moment of hesitation she decided that the conversation couldn't get any worse or more embarrassing. "What would you have done if I hadn't gotten pregnant that first time?"

"I don't know." He admitted. "Believe me Hermione I feel guilty enough."

"Was it because I repulsed you?" she asked.

"No Hermione, not repulsed. It just took longer than a few weeks to change my opinion of you from know-it-all underage student to shagable wife." He replied. "The ministry didn't care about that of course but it took some time for you to grow on me."

"Yeah." Hermione agreed. "I know what you mean." Then she leant sideways and dropped her head against his shoulder feeling a lot better for opening up to him.

Reviews make Severus horny!


	15. Chapter 15

Author's Notes: Yes quite right I got the chapters mixed up! It was because this chapter wasn't actually beta'd yet and I meant to send it to my beta and uploaded it instead. Anyways you guys would have had chapter 14 today and this one tomorrow but instead after some rushing around to correct my mistakes you get both today.

Disclaimer: As usual I own na-da and make na-da

Special note of thanks to my beta JenJenSon for literally getting this back to me like an hour after I sent it.

What Happens Now?

Chapter Fifteen

"Was it because I repulsed you?" she asked.

"No Hermione, not repulsed. It just took longer than a few weeks to change my opinion of you from know-it-all underage student to shaggable wife." He replied. "The ministry didn't care about that of course but it took some time for you to grow on me."

"Yeah." Hermione agreed. "I know what you mean." Then she leant sideways and dropped her head against his shoulder feeling a lot better for opening up to him. "It's all your fault anyway, if you had never kissed me I wouldn't have been thinking about it in the first place and therefore wouldn't have been trying to...you know and getting all worked up about it."

The next morning Hermione felt a little better when she woke up, admittedly the thought of randomly jumping on top of her husband and kissing him had crossed her mind but she dismissed it when she realised she wouldn't really know what to do next. It was the following night when they were getting ready for bed that she brought it up again, feeling slightly more able to do so.

"When you said that it took a while for your opinion of me to change..." she started, folding her clothes and placing them on the chair. "do you think that you'd ever change your opinion of me enough to see me that way?"

"What way?" he asked, pulling back the covers on the bed.

"As a...shaggable wife." She replied quietly, not daring to turn around and look at him.

"Come here." He told her. Hermione turned around slowly and crossed the room to climb onto her side of the bed. Before Hermione could ask any further questions he leant over and kissed her. If he was to be honest, the minute he had thought about Hermione being up here touching herself his mind had already wandered off track.

Hermione took a few moments to relax into the kiss; it wasn't a rough and demanding as the last time he had kissed her but the results seemed the same none the less as she felt her stomach clenching. She felt herself being lowered down into a lying position as he leaned over her, pinning her against the bed.

"What are you doing?" she asked shyly, her face flushing.

"What do you think I'm doing?" he asked, lowering his head to kiss her again. Hermione wasn't going anywhere, they were having a child together and they were already married. In his opinion it meant that whilst the emotional side of being sexually intimate with her was likely to be complicated, especially from her point of view...the risk of her leaving him was already significantly lower due to their circumstances. So he decided that it was worth the risk. She was worth the risk.

He never thought he would see such a young, beautiful woman beneath him, whimpering at his kisses alone, especially not one with his ring on her finger and his child in her belly...but here she was; his gorgeous, intelligent and pregnant wife who had gradually become a part of his life.

His mouth trailed across her jaw and neck, nipping lightly at her collar bone as his hands began to raise her top, uncovering her stomach to him and then her ribs and finally as he helped her lean up so he could remove it completely, her breasts.

He continued to kiss her neck as his allowed his hands a moment to caress her bared flesh, travelling her sides to the sides of her breasts and carefully stroking inwards to cup each one briefly before travelling back down her sides again and tugging her pyjama trousers down her hips. This time his mouth followed, skipping her breasts and kissing her rounded stomach before moving to kiss and nip at her hips as he removed her bottoms completely also, his hands gliding over her hips and thighs, enjoying the warmth of her.

Finally he returned to her lips and she was able to kiss him back, clutching at his arms and shoulders for dear life. He trailed off to her neck again as his hand slid over her core causing her to gasp and jerk her hips in surprise.

"What-"

"Quiet." He told her, as he slowly stroked across her a few more times before sliding two fingers inside her smoothly and carefully. Hermione let out a long moan as her head fell back into the pillows. It hadn't felt anything like this when she had tried to rub herself, this was...indescribable.

He moved his hand in a steady rhythm, allowing her to enjoy the sensation and not cause her any discomfort. She was incredibly responsive under him, moaning and gasping.

"Now do you believe me that there's nothing wrong with you?" he smirked, sliding his fingers from her slowly much to her whimper of protest at the loss. Instead he ran his fingers around her most sensitive spot gently a few times as she again began to writhe under his hand.

He moved to kiss her again before carefully adjusting himself so that he could replace his hand as he slowly began to slide into her. He caught Hermione's gasp against his lips and allowed himself a moment of stillness to enjoy the warm tightness that surrounded him.

Hermione felt like she couldn't breathe, she had never felt so stretched, so full...it didn't hurt or anything but it just felt strangely new to her. After a couple of shallow thrusts the filling sensation began to feel a lot more pleasant to her. Severus had to be rather careful when he leant over to kiss her as her stomach was between them but it was still possible, although probably in a few weeks it wouldn't be. He tried to keep the pace steady to allow Hermione the time to enjoy it but found it increasingly difficult to hold himself back. After a while he pulled away from her and returned his hand to her for a moment to give him a moment to get back from that edge. He wasn't eighteen anymore and there was never a guarantee of a second round so he wanted to make sure the first one would be memorable just in case.

He trailed hot kisses down her body before sucking gently at her hip until a small mark appeared before him. Then he dipped his head lower and trailed his tongue across the length of her; probing between her folds gently before flattening his tongue and lapping at her sensitive spot. Hermione was now panting above him as he drove his fingers into her a little faster while continuing his ministrations with his tongue. It was when she started to make half formed protests that he knew she was close, she clearly wasn't sure what to expect but he didn't dare stop yet. Instead continuing what he was doing at a steady pace and batting her flailing hands out of the way with his free arm until finally she was there. Her legs began to shake a little and then she held her breath as her whole body went rigid for a moment, her eyes screwed shut as pleasure began to roll through her. She began to shake again as her body began to regain motion and he took his moment to thrust back into her, fully enjoying her inner muscles tensing around him as he drove in and out of her at a faster more erratic pace than before and enjoying every second of it.

Hermione was now moaning and panting wildly beneath him not knowing if she was coming or going. Her body completely abandoning her brain as pleasure overtook. She tried to reach up and kiss Severus as the aftershocks of her orgasm kept shooting through her but found it very difficult to reach until he bent down to kiss her before raising up on his arms and thrusting into her harder than before; finally ending in a strangled moan as she felt him twitching inside her before he dropped to the side to avoid falling on her.

As he rolled completely off of her Hermione was having trouble computing exactly what had just happened. She had slept with her husband, and it had been amazing. She'd never felt anything like it before.

"Better?" Severus asked her, turning to face her a few moments later.

"Mmmm." Was all Hermione came out with for a moment before she opened her eyes and focused on her husband next to her. "Much, thanks."

"Anytime little witch." He murmured, stroked his hand across her stomach and leaning closer to her to kiss her once more on the lips and sitting up, leaving the bed.

Hermione stared after him in disbelief...he was just going to get up and leave? Was that all just to shut her up?

"I'm going to shower." He told her, before pausing at the doorway. "You're welcome to join me."

Hermione sat and blinked a few times in surprise before getting up and following him into the bathroom. It was silly she knew since he'd already seen her but she felt rather embarrassed in her nakedness, not that he seemed to have such worries stood in the bathroom naked facing away from her. Hermione couldn't help but take in the scars on his back, most quite faint with age and magical healing but there were several that were deep and angry looking that must have been from curses.

He turned slightly and smirked at her crossed arms covering her chest. "Are you going to wash like that?" he asked, pulling back the shower curtain and stepping inside.

"For your information it's cold!" she retorted, it wasn't strictly a lie but that wasn't exactly the reason for her covering herself either.

"Then get your frozen arse in here." He replied dryly, from the other side of the curtain. So with only the slightest hesitation she slipped into the shower. Instantly his arms slid around her stomach and tugged her under the water. "Warmer now?" She nodded and felt herself flush at the feeling of his naked body pressed along her back.

After they had both enjoyed the warm water for a moment they began washing and then rinsing off the soap. Severus turned Hermione to face him and backed her carefully up against the shower wall and kissed her again.

Hermione gasped as a solid kick came from between them causing them both to laugh. Severus pulled Hermione to him and wrapped his arms around her only to receive more kicks through Hermione's stomach.

"Alright, alright I get the message." He laughed, leaning down to place a kiss on her stomach. "If you think you're going to steal your mother's attention every second of the day you are sadly mistaken."

"Severus! That's your baby in there!" Hermione chided.

"I was aware of that but I think I'm going to enjoy having you all to myself every now and then as well." He replied, raising back up to finish rinsing off. "That's why I got a house with so many rooms."

"You brought one?" she asked.

"Well, it isn't finalised yet but hopefully." He replied, as he stepped out of the shower and quickly dried himself before wrapping his towel around his waist. "With a library of course."

"Really? Can we afford it?" she asked, wrapping her towel around herself and biting her lip.

"Not outright of course but the mortgage is manageable, especially once we've sold this place." He replied. "It's not a mansion Hermione, there's just a basement for a potions lab and an extra downstairs room for a library and a few bedrooms upstairs for the children."

"_children_?" Hermione asked raising an eyebrow at him.

"Well, you were the one that wanted more than one of the hyper-active little buggers." He replied. "It isn't Malfoy manor or anything, I'll never be able to give you anything like that but it will do for us."

"Especially since we spend so much of our time at Hogwarts." Hermione laughed. "But oh Merlin; a library! Our own library; I'm so excited!"

"Yes well, you can't see it for at least another week so don't get ahead of yourself." He told her, as they wandered back to the bedroom. "And it needs a bit of work in some areas but when I saw it I just had to have it."

"How much work?" she asked suspiciously, tugging her pyjamas back on.

"It'll nearly all be done by the time the baby's here." He replied. "It would appear that your reputation with house elves has spread."

"We're not having a house elf." She said bluntly.

"No, we've got two actually." He replied, casual sliding into bed next to her.

"Tell me you haven't hired house elves! Severus you can't! It's slave labour! I only tolerate the Hogwarts ones because I know they're free to leave if they wanted to, not that they'd ever ask and they're treated rather better than most other elves." She protested.

"Hermione these house elves had no home, they would have ended up at Hogwarts anyway otherwise." He explained.

"Well then let them go there." She replied.

"They asked for you, they'll be treated just fine Hermione. You'll make sure of it." She narrowed her eyes at him for a moment before speaking again.

"Alright, explain." She sighed.

"There are loads of house elves left without their masters after the war. The ministry have taken control of most of the death eater's assets so some of them have been able to remain in their homes and wait to serve new master's however there a many without homes. Most of them have been coming to Hogwarts but it seems that there is a new wave of modern house elves that thanks to Dobby and some of the Hogwarts elves have been seeking out the famous Harry Potter and his comrades who are known to treat elves well, they were slightly concerned that you would try to free them though." He explained.

"Of course I would! It's slavery." She nodded.

"They don't want freedom Hermione, they just want a roof over their heads and a family to look after. They like working, it's a matter of pride to them." He replied. "Look, it's only two house elves and most of the time we won't even be at the house so they will be free to do as they please anyway."

"I suppose." Hermione frowned.

"You know that even Mrs Weasley has a house elf now and Mr Potter also." He told her. Hermione sighed and sank down into the bed; it was a lost cause. "At least they're serving people who appreciate it."

"I suppose." Was all she said, defeated as she rolled over to sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

Author's Notes: OK I give you all permission to bitch slap me for taking so long. Sorry but it is nearly Christmas and for parents in particular it means busy busy busy! Especially if it happens to also be your son's birthday a few days after Christmas it means more busy, but anyways here it is and hopefully I'll get one more out before Christmas. I was hoping to get enough of my story done so that their Christmas fell right alongside ours but aw well.

Disclaimer: You guys know the drill by now, I don't own it and I don't make any money (unfortunately)

Special thanks as always and extra Christmas wishes to my beta JenJenSon for always being so super quick getting these chapters back to me.

What Happens Now?

Chapter Sixteen

"Come on then woman! You've been going on about the new house all week and now you're taking forever!" Severus snapped at Hermione trailing behind him. Since she was unable to apparate and flat out refused to fly, although granted she was now large enough that balancing on a broom could be an issue, they had had to floo to the nearest public connection and walk the rest of the way.

"Well when you're carrying the baby in your stomach, then you can complain!" Hermione hissed back at him. "My feet are in agony and so is my back and it's from carrying _your_ baby so I would quit complaining if I were you!"

"You're only six months pregnant, you've still got another three to go." He husband pointed out.

"Not helping!" Hermione growled as they reached the front door. The garden was overgrown; in fact Hermione couldn't even tell if there was grass under all the wild plants. The house itself was fairly large, even if it too looked a little in disrepair. The actual structure didn't look bad but it could do with new paint on the door and windows.

Severus opened the door and then swung Hermione off her feet.

"No!" Hermione protested as he carried her through the door. She just glared at him as he put her back on her feet once inside the house, as much as she appreciated his attempt at a romantic gesture, when he was straining to lift her it wasn't quite as romantic.

"Home." Severus announced, gesturing around them. "The house elves will be arriving tomorrow morning to do what they can for us and we'll just stop in from time to time to make sure everything is ready for the Christmas break. It's mostly just cleaning and decorating that needs doing."

Hermione nodded as he led her through and archway to the right, which led into a living room with a large fireplace, she could image after some cleaning and care it would make a wonderful cosy living room for Christmas. She followed him through another door in the living room, which led them into a dining room that still housed a large table although Hermione thought perhaps it was beyond saving and they'd have to get a new one. There were also marks on the walls where paintings had obviously been for a long time but were now gone. Still it would be nice to have a nice large room to have people over for dinner...if her grumpy husband ever allowed it that was.

She frowned to herself at that thought, if she wanted friends for dinner she would ask them and if he didn't want to join in he could go hide in his lab, she wasn't going to become a recluse just because he had very few social graces.

She followed him through another doorway, which led into a kitchen with another table. Hermione liked the thought of eating in here better, it would be cosier...she decided that unless they had people over they would be eating in the kitchen. Severus gestured to two closed wooden doors in front of him but didn't move to go through them.

"The food store and then the stairs to the wine cellar. The wine cellar is rather extensive so that is where I shall be placing the lab, there will still be a little room to store some wine down there if you would like." He explained before moving to another archway. Hermione followed and found herself back in the entrance, now staring at the floor door from opposite it. This left only the archway to the left of the door and the staircase next to where they stood. "Your favourite room." Her husband commented guiding them through the last archway into one huge room. It was at least the size of the living room and dining room combined and held large dusty shelving units around the length of it. There was a large fireplace in the centre of the outer wall and very few windows but with plenty of lamps it would make for a wonderful library. Hermione glanced at the broken armchairs by the fireplace and then spotted the large desk space at the rear of the room.

"It's amazing. Now I know why you got it." She nodded. Despite the overall state of disrepair the house would be lovely when finished and Hermione didn't mind putting in a bit of work to do it. After all her degree was nearly finished now so she could quite easily spend some time here fixing the house while Severus was busy teaching at Hogwarts. Something else caught her eye. "Are those books?" she asked, catching Severus's attention as she moved to the back of the room and lifted a sheet from a pile of boxes on the floor. Sure enough there were three boxes full of books buried there.

"As if we needed more, I was fairly certain we could fill this room without adding any more books to the pile." He murmured, leaning down to lift a few books from the boxes. "It looks like most of them are historical...history of magic and things like that."

"You can never have too many books." Hermione grinned, her fingers itching to rummage through the boxes.

"Upstairs." Severus interrupted her thoughts. Hermione obediently followed him out to the entrance and up the staircase until they stood on the landing. Severus made quicker work of the upstairs rooms as most were empty. "Master bedroom and en suite bathroom, I warn you do not go in the bathroom until the house elves have cleaned it." He moved on to the next door and opened it. "The smallest bedroom," he was right the bedroom was only big enough for perhaps a single bed and a wardrobe. "Again, this is the main bathroom but I will not open the door. Lastly we have the other two bedrooms." He opened the last two doors to reveal two average sized rooms, one empty and the other with a broken bed and a few boxes, mostly full of junk.

They headed back downstairs and Hermione took one last glance around before Severus led her back outside.

"I love it." She said softly as they walked back down the road.

"I'm glad." Severus replied. Hermione couldn't help but smile to herself, although in the past week their relationship had changed to something more like a normal married couple her husband would never change. He was a man of few words, he would never shower her with affection and she could guarantee that even if he did ever fall in love with her he would _never_ tell her. She wasn't too upset by this though because at the end of the day they got along and they had chemistry and they were having a family together. She could have easily done a lot worse with her claim to fame as one of the golden trio drawing extra-unwanted attention. Severus Snape was an intelligent man who she could bounce her theories off of and would never insult her for her bookish tendencies.

"Would you like to have lunch here?" he asked suddenly pulling her from her thoughts. Hermione glanced at the cosy restaurant he was gesturing to. "Since we're here after all."

"Of course, that would be lovely." She nodded, following him in. The town near the house was small, there appeared to be a bookshop, a sweet shop, a pub, a general supplies store and this restaurant and very little else.

The restaurant was small and cosy and as directed by the sign they seated themselves, choosing a small table nearest the fireplace.

"So this will be our local town then?" Hermione asked, as they glanced at the menus. Severus just nodded but didn't say anything. "It's very quiet, but it has a bookshop so I'm sure it can't be bad."

Hermione gave up trying to make conversation after that and the ordered then ate in silence before heading back to their small house at Spinner's End.

Hermione glanced around the house a little bit more carefully that evening, after all after this week they would leave this little house for good, it was a little bit sad but having a new house was exciting as well, not to mention that she couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts and finish her final unit of her degree before the baby arrived.

As if knowing Hermione's thoughts she felt her baby kick her lightly from her stomach. She rubbed it fondly.

"Yes baby, you're exciting too." She smiled.

"He's not going to answer back." Severus spoke from behind her, causing her to jump slightly.

"So? The baby can still hear me, in fact you should be talking to it too so that he or she will know who you are when they arrive." She replied.

"I am not speaking to your stomach Hermione." He said seriously before heading downstairs to what was left of his lab.

At six months pregnant Hermione returning to Hogwarts drew a lot of attention from the Professor's and the students that she crossed. The Professor's were full of excitement and congratulations of course, which was nice since enthusiasm was something her husband would always lack unless she was either naked or it was over something potions related. The students however, she could hear whispering whenever she passed them in the hallways.

"That's Snape's baby in there you know?" she would hear them saying to each other. She tried to ignore them but on one occasion when she was fortunate enough to know the name for the student she snapped and threatened to go to either her husband or the Headmistress to assign him a detention for gossiping in the hallways when he should be on his way to class.

A few weeks later at seven months Hermione began to realise that she had trouble getting as close as she would like to the dinner table thanks to her growing bump.

"Hermione?" Luna asked again, pulling Hermione's attention back to her. "Did you hear me at all? You looked miles away."

"I'm sorry Luna I was; I think I need an early night." Hermione replied sheepishly. "What were you saying?"

"Did you work out something for the Charms apprenticeship? I saw the advert was taken down so I didn't know if you had filled the position or if someone else had." Luna asked her again.

"Actually yes, it's me." Hermione smiled. "At the moment I'm just helping mark homework and getting to grips with the syllabus, I only started this week because I have only just finished my degree."

"You finished it already?" a grunt came from next to her.

"Yes, the week we got back to Hogwarts. I did tell you but I doubt you were listening." Hermione snorted at her husband. "No matter I suppose you didn't realise I'd started my Charms apprenticeship either?"

"I had an idea when I found students Charms essays in our rooms." He replied.

"Anyway, yes Luna I've just started now. We're hoping I'll still finish it in the one year just fine even with a small break for the baby because I've already got a degree in charms anyway." Hermione explained turning her attention back to her blonde friend. "How have your first few weeks as a Professor been?"

"Wonderful." Luna beamed dreamily. "Obviously Professor McGonagall still checks in every now and then because I'm still new. She actually spent one of my lessons as a cat sat on my desk for the whole lesson." Hermione smiled at Luna's proper address for their former teacher. Having not been back at Hogwarts for as long as Hermione she was still having trouble remembering that it was alright for her to use first names.

Hermione could easily admit that it was strange when they had first invited her to address them by first names; it had taken months for it to stop feeling wrong to address them so casually.

"When do you start helping in lessons?" Luna asked her.

"I'll be assisting one day next week and if it goes well maybe once a week from then on to start with." Hermione replied. "It's very strange to think that not so long ago we were the ones learning all this stuff and now we're going to be teaching it."

"Not to mention the fact that we're going to be parents!" Luna laughed.

"Luna? Are you pregnant?" Hermione whispered in disbelief.

"Yes, I just found out at the weekend." Luna smiled.

"That's wonderful Luna! Congratulations!" Hermione grinned.

"Wonderful...another Weasley; just what the world needs." Severus said dryly.

"So when are you due?" Hermione asked blanking her husband's usual rudeness, they were both used to it now.

"June, which is pretty good timing because it means I'll only need my lessons covered for less than a month before the students all finish for the summer and then maybe a few weeks after depending how well things settle down." Luna replied. "We'll have Hogwarts full of babies in no time."

Hermione didn't comment on that, whilst having a baby was exciting and she now loved her little one dearly, she still wasn't particularly thrilled that the ministry interfered the way they did in the first place.


	17. Chapter 17

Author's Notes: SORRY! So sorry that this has taken forever! In fact I haven't updated a single one of my stories in AGES! In my defence I was busy being rather poorly throughout my pregnancy and then giving birth to my second child a daughter born on 25th June. My son hasn't been too keen on giving up any of his mummy time so it's been fun getting adjusted but I'm hoping to gradually start getting back into writing. My writing is currently done one handed or by hand while breastfeeding so thanks heavens for my beta JenJenSon for going through everything to make sure it makes sense for you guys to enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my spelling mistakes

What Happens Now?

Chapter Seventeen

Hermione let out a deep sigh as see collapsed down onto the sofa. She felt a bit like a tank now, everything ached, she couldn't reach her feet anymore and now had to use magic to get her socks and shoes on. She was now beginning to wish the time would go faster, however apprehensive she was about the birth she was sick of being pregnant now.

"How do you think Miss Weasley feels?" Severus asked, as he lifted a book from the shelf and sat in his chair.

"Mrs Potter and you are hardly helping!" Hermione snapped. "I am the size of a house and I still have eight weeks to go!"

"Well think of it this way, you _only_ have eight weeks to go." He shrugged.

"My back hurts, every time the baby moves I feel like I'm going to burst, I have horrid stretch marks, I can't reach my feet and my boobs weigh a ton!" Hermione growled, getting to her feet again.

"Forgive me, I'll hold them for you if you like?" he offered with a smirk.

"Only if you want milk all over your hands!" she spat.

"It's not actually milk until a few days after the baby is born you know." He corrected.

"Do I look like I care?!" she hissed, turning and stomping to the bedroom with the door slamming behind her. Severus just chuckled from where he sat, Hermione had certainly upped her mood swings this week. She had spent most of the week in a foul mood and whilst he was aware that the situation wasn't particularly comfortable for her he had no idea what she expected him to do to make it magically go away.

She was still having trouble sleeping and couldn't even roll all over him now since the baby had taken to kicking the hell out of him if he was pressed against her stomach, which certainly wasn't improving her moods and apparently heavily pregnant women were supposed to sleep on their left side according to the book Hermione had been reading so she then spent her time trying to fall asleep worrying about that fact she ended up waking up on her right side every morning.

"You know this is all your fault!" her voice continued to shout from the bedroom. He continued to chuckle to himself even as the floo activated and Minerva stepped through.

"Good evening Seve-" the headmistress trailed off as she heard the banging and shouting from the other room. "Good heavens, what is going on in here?"

"It's all my fault apparently." He smirked in response.

"What did you do?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Nothing more than follow the ministry order to get her pregnant it would seem, oh and not understand what it's like carrying around a baby for months on end of course." He drawled, putting his book down. "and don't forget that it's my fault that I don't have to give birth as well."

"I see." Minerva nodded, smiling slightly. "Not long now though."

"Hardly comforting." Severus murmured. "Can you imagine what it'll be like when she's in labour?"

"Maybe you should hide her wand when the time comes." Minerva suggested.

"Nothing to say for yourself as usual?" Hermione demanded coming out of the bedroom, she paused suddenly spotting the older witch and her mouth froze in place.

"Not a good day then Hermione?" the older asked.

"No, it would appear not." Hermione agreed, frowning and dropping unceremoniously into the nearest seat.

"Obviously." Severus muttered.

"Not helping." Hermione hissed, glaring at him.

"Hermione, I came here because I have news about Mrs Potter but now I'm not sure if it would be wise to interrupt." Minerva said, ending the married couples glaring contest.

"Ginny?" Hermione asked, her eyes immediately leaving her husband to look straight at the headmistress in concern. "What wrong with Ginny?"

"I have been assured that her condition is stable and the babies are fine but she almost went into an early labour. It has been stopped but she is to be on bed rest from now until the twins make an appearance." Minerva said gently. "I thought I'd let you know because I knew you'd want to visit her and I'm sure that Mrs Potter will be positively bored stuck in bed without visitors."

"Thank you." Hermione told her sincerely. "I'll floo them in a bit and see when is best to visit."

"I'll leave you to continue where you left off then." The older witch nodded to them. "Try not to actually damage him in any way Hermione, we do still need a potions Master after all."

"Where exactly do you think you're going?" the dark haired wizard asked as Hermione got to her feet.

"To see Ginny." She replied, heading to the fireplace.

"Maybe you should calm down for a moment first lest you go into an early labour yourself." He said, going back to his reading.

"If only." Hermione muttered, before calling out her destination and disappearing in green flames.

The receptionist was able to direct Hermione to the ward where Ginny was staying, not that it wouldn't have been obvious should she have passed it due to the sheer number of red headed visitors sat outside.

"'Mione!" Ron greeted her, giving her a one armed hug to avoid her not bulging bump. "Thank god; maybe you can talk some sense into her!"

"Talk sense into who? Ginny?" Hermione asked, smiling and greeting the other gathered Weasleys.

"Well, her and mum actually." He replied sheepishly. "Even Harry's given up and gone to get a cuppa."

"I'm not sure I even want to know..." she murmured, heading into the ward none the less. She could hear the two Weasley women shouting from the other end of the ward but didn't even hesitate at the curtain before entering; at the very least she was hoping to cause them to pause their argument for a moment.

"Hermione dear thank goodness! Perhaps you can convince her she's being stubborn." Molly Weasley said in way of a greeting.

"Me? What about you?!" Ginny snapped.

"Do you know everyone can hear you two fighting outside?" Hermione asked. Both of the fiery haired women looked a little sheepish at that but didn't make any apology for it. "What exactly is so important that the whole of St Mungo's need hear it?"

"Ginevra is insisting on being discharged and going home." The older woman sighed dramatically.

"Well? Wouldn't you want to? It's _boring_ here! At least at home I can lay watching television!" Ginny protested.

"That muggle box is not more important than your children!" Molly replied fiercely.

"'Mione she's trying to make me go back to the burrow until the babies come! That's _ages_!"

"OK hold it!" Hermione said firmly, raising her hands. "What did the doctors say?"

"They want to keep me in for a few days to monitor my contractions in case they start up again straight away." Ginny huffed, crossing her arms.

"What if you agree to stay overnight, just one night at least and then if all is fine then get discharged tomorrow, that's a compromise?" Hermione suggested. "And as for after, I agree with Ginny that being at the burrow isn't going to be that quiet and relaxing-"

"See!"

"But, I agree with your mum that you should have someone taking care of you at first, just to be safe." She continued, ignoring Ginny's outburst. "Someone should stay with you for a couple of days Ginny, for the babies' safety and for yours."

On exiting the ward some time later she was greeted by a group of male faces, each more curious than the last.

"How did you _do_ that?" Ron asked.

"Logic Ronald, simple logic." She replied.

"Well in that case he'll never get it." George piped up.

Hermione lay in bed the following Sunday staring at the dark ceiling above her, she couldn't sleep but nothing was new there.

"Speak already woman." Her husband said gruffly from the other side of the bed. "You've been thinking loudly for the past half hour so spit it out or go to sleep."

"We've only got seven and a half weeks till the baby gets hear..." she started.

"Normally you're bitching that you still have _ages_ apparently to wait and now you refer to it as only?" he asked, rolling over to face her and peering incredulously at her in the dark.

"Do you want to have this baby?" she retorted.

"I'm sure I would complain less." He snorted, Hermione didn't reply and he assumed his wife was glaring at him in the darkness. "You original point was?"

"We haven't really got an awful lot ready...and even if it doesn't take that long to buy things we haven't even talked about names yet." She said quietly.

"Names?" .

"Well...don't you want a say in what you're baby is called?" she asked him. "Shouldn't we at least talk about the names we like? Ginny and Harry already have theirs sorted but she won't tell me what they are."

"Have you thought of names then?" he asked.

"Well...I liked Rosalind or Evelyn for a girl but I'm stuck on boys names and you seem so sure it's a boy." Hermione pouted.

"That's because it is." He replied, snaking out an arm slide across her stomach.

"Are you scared?" she asked quietly, feeling her husband suddenly tense as if taking offense.

"Are you?" he asked her, dodging the question.

"Of course." She whispered, "I'm terrified." She felt him shift closer and pull her to him. "What if I'm useless as a mum? What if none of it comes naturally and I just make a mess of things?"

"Hermione, you won't be useless. Just because you won't know what to do at first doesn't mean you'll be a useless mother; you'll do what you do best and learn." He told her, absently stroking her hip.

"And as much as I want the baby to hurry up because I'm huge and miserable...I am so scared." Hermione admitted. "I feel like a big baby but I'm scared that labour's going to hurt."

"Of course it'll hurt, they wouldn't call it labour if it didn't but after everything you've been through you'll be fine." He soothed, kissing her neck and shoulders.

"It feels like you're trying to change the subject." She grinned, pressing back against him and feeling the growing bulge there before groaning and shaking her head. "You don't want to do this, I'm a whale."

He cut off any further protests by leaning up on his arms to kiss her lips, making quick work of driving his tongue into her mouth. By the time his lips left hers she was already beginning to pant as he manoeuvred her fully onto her back and trailed his hands down the front of her body.

"Finally, it is possible to shut you up." He mumbled against the skin of her neck. Knowing that she would be uncomfortable if she lay of her back to long he didn't delay too much before tugging down her pyjama shorts and sliding two fingers inside her. Hermione let out a loud moan as his hand picked up a rhythm, stretching her, preparing her. Her breathing became uncontrolled and frantic and he knew she was ready, he pulled away from her to urge her onto her side. He pulled her back tightly against his chest before she felt him enter her. Goosebumps covered her skin, not from cold, just from the sensations. They hadn't been intimate like this more than a handful of times and she revelled in it.

Severus Snape wasn't the most handsome of men but she still found him attractive, he had a rugged, manly appeal and a body in excellent shape despite the age difference. He wasn't the most romantic of men or the most sentimental but he was protective and solid, she knew she could count on him, depend on him and trust him. Not to mention that when thinking of him on her wedding day, there was no way she could have imagined that months later she would be practically begging him for more as he pleasured her in ways no one else had.

"Oh god..." she breathed, feeling her stomach tightening. She felt him tugging her hair until her she tipped her head back enough for him to kiss her, all be it a little awkwardly before letting go of her hair again to quicken up his pace. He felt Hermione start to shudder against him, her muscles twitching around him as she lost control. He managed to hold out a few more minutes before letting himself go and emptying inside her. They lay like that for a few moments in silence while both caught their breath and that was the last thing Hermione remembered. Severus glanced down at his young wife to find her already asleep against him, still a tangle of limbs...it wasn't the most comfortable position for him but she struggled so much to sleep usually that he didn't have the heart to move her. She was asleep and on her left side, like she was so worried about being so he decided to try and sleep himself.


	18. Chapter 18

Author's Notes: A huge thanks to all of you who read and reviewed the last chapter! And for the congratulations messages for my baby I was in the middle of trying to continue one of my other stories when I realised I had ten reviews for the last chapter even after having left it for so long so I decided to continue this one first. So you think me writing this chapter on a midweek afternoon while my eldest son is away camping with his grandparents (for 4 days! I miss him like crazy!) and baby Eleanor is asleep in her bouncy chair, so I here I sit on the sofa typing and eating mint choc chip ice cream (I'm an ice cream addict!)

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my spelling mistakes

What Happens Now?

Chapter Eighteen

Hermione's due date found her sulking on the sofa. She was in love with her husband...this was a big problem; of course in most normal circumstances this wouldn't be a problem but for her and the snarky potions master it was. She couldn't tell him she loved him, that'd make things far too awkward and she was certain that he couldn't love her back; after all he had told her as much to her face.

"What a mess..." she murmured, stroking her bump. She couldn't even go and talk it out with Ginny since she had only just been released from hospital after having the twins. Words couldn't describe how jealous Hermione was that Ginny had her little ones three weeks early while Hermione sat here on her due date without so much as a twinge of pain to indicate that labour was close. She had hoped that after having Braxton hick's contractions nearly constantly for the past two weeks that it would be a sign that labour would start soon but today...nothing.

She chastised herself for being miserable, so what if Severus Snape didn't love her? He cared about her and he was attracted to her and he would always try to look after her which was a lot more than could be said for most other couples paired together by the ministry. He was a brilliant husband, he just didn't love her...she couldn't have everything for goodness sake, not when there have been several young witches that had reported being beaten and raped by their new husbands. The ministry had of course publically announced that it was taking the reports seriously and looking into each individual case and any wizards or witches found to be domestically violent would be punished to the full extent of the law; although as much as they continued to say this, not a single person had been punished so far.

So Hermione knew she was lucky and that she should be grateful...but the truth was she was huge, pregnant, hormonal and in love with a man that did not and could not love her. So she cried.

It was a good half hour later that she snapped herself out of it and got showered and dressed to go out. She left a note for her husband telling him where she was going before flooing to Diagon alley. She had decided that since there was only just over two weeks until Christmas that she would do a little Christmas shopping.

After finding gifts for nearly everyone and extra baby items that she probably didn't need, such as the three baby grows and five vests in her bag when she already had more than enough back at Hogwarts in the corner of the bedroom that had been dubbed "the baby corner". Severus had banished her from the new house a couple of weeks ago when he also insisted that she was doing far too much for someone in her condition and unfortunately the house elves were too afraid of him to allow her to go against his wishes.

However she had managed to get them to help her with her present to Severus. The house came with a nice large shed and so far since it wasn't a priority he hadn't bothered looking at it, so in the shed Hermione hid his present. It had almost been pure co-incidence the way it had happened; Charlie Weasley had written to Hagrid about an injured Phoenix that they had found in the Godeanu mountains in Romania, of course they hadn't been worried about the injuries themselves because the Phoenix would eventually burn to ash and then be reborn injury free, however they were worried about it not being able to get anywhere to feed, or escape danger and such in the meantime. So it the Phoenix was brought to Hagrid's care, only for Hagrid to find that the injuries had been caused by some kind of dark curse, they didn't even want to think about how dark a curse would have to be to injure a Phoenix so badly but Charlie had told them it was actually not the uncommon, because Phoenix's were so hard to domesticate people often resorted to extreme measures to try. So when it appeared that the Phoenix would require magical healing Hermione had taken him on. She had known instantly that he would be the perfect gift for Severus, after all Phoenix's were so loyal and Severus Snape had certainly proven himself to be so fiercely loyal she was almost certain he should have been a Gryfindor.

She had managed to heal him of all his injuries save a small dark mark on the underside of his wing which must have been the point of impact for the curse, the Phoenix seemed healthy now but had yet to reach his burning day causing her to wonder if perhaps some affect of the curse was preventing it. Still the poor bird now seemed fairly tame and content where he was nested in the shed so Hermione decided that if she couldn't find the problem her husband probably could. Perhaps that would be a better present than the bird itself, he did after all seem to enjoy a puzzle and a challenge.

She stopped at the Leaky Cauldron for a cold drink for a moment when she felt her stomach tighten; she hoped her Braxton hick's contractions had returned rather than that she had overdone it. After a small breather she continued her shopping trip, deciding that since she would soon have a library she may as well use it as an excuse to buy new books.

When she finally returned to Hogwarts she found her husband fuming in their living room. He practically dragged her out of the fireplace and forced her onto the sofa.

"What were you thinking?!" he demanded. "Are you aware that you have been gone for six hours?!"

"Oh! Really? It didn't feel that long...sorry." she replied, genuinely surprised at the time. "Then again I did go into the bookstore so I suppose that probably accounts for the loss of time..."

"Sorry?! I have been worried sick!" he hissed.

"And I said sorry, I can't very well go back and undo it now can I?" Hermione snapped back.

"Have you eaten?" he asked, trying to contain his temper.

"No...funny, I haven't eaten since this morning but I don't feel hungry at all..." she murmured.

"Then you will be joining me in the great hall for evening meal." She told her, leaving no room for a discussion before leaving the room. Hermione frowned, she really hadn't noticed the time...or that she hadn't eaten...how odd. Clearly this pregnancy was making her go funny in the head. She went and unloaded her bags before changing for dinner.

She sat between Minerva and her still grumpy husband for the evening meal in the great hall, ever since she had become obviously pregnant the two had sat next to one another as it was what would be expected of a husband and wife. Although more often than not they rarely spoke at the table, in fact they rarely spoke in front of others at all.

"Hermone dear are you quite alright?" Minerva asked, Hermione whipped her head around to focus on the older witch.

"I'm sorry what did you say?" Hermione asked, blinking a few times.

"I asked if you were alright." Minerva frowned.

"Oh, I'm fine. Just tired I think." She smiled, joining the older witch's conversation with Luna.

After Hermione had had to ask someone to repeat themselves for the fourth time the headmistress narrowed her eyes at her.

"Have you had any pains at all today Hermione?" she asked.

"Nothing more than usual." Hermione shrugged. "Just Braxton hicks on and off like always but they don't hurt honestly."

"I'm not sure they're Braxton hicks contractions Hermione, I think you might be in labour." Minerva told her quietly. Hermione dropped her fork, which drew her husband's attention also.

"I can't be, it's my due date today but babies never come on their due date." She replied, feeling the blood drain from her face.

"Well, you tell that to that little one because I think today's the day." The older witch insisted.

"Come on." Severus said, taking Hermione's arm and leading her from the table and out of the side door of the hall. "How could you not know you're in labour?"

"Don't talk to me like I'm stupid, firstly I've never been in labour before so I don't exactly know what it's supposed to feel like and secondly I might not be. Honestly I've been having some contractions but they don't even hurt enough for me to pay much attention to them so they're more than likely just Braxton hicks."

Hermione continued her protests until she was lying on a bed at St Mungo's waiting for a mediwitch to come and check her over, then she remained quiet as she began to notice that the tightening in her stomach was happening every four minutes on the dot.

She was disappointed that the mediwitch that came in wasn't Mary, her mediwitch but one she hadn't met before.

"Good evening Mrs Snape, I'm Lyona; I understand you've been having some pains that might be labour?" she asked.

"Well...I am having pains but they don't really hurt so I wasn't sure..." Hermione replied, biting her lip.

"Where are the pains exactly, can you point for me?" the young mediwitch asked, Hermione pointed to the top of her stomach. "And how often are they?"

"Every four minutes." She replied.

"Do you mind if I do an internal to see if anything is happening?" she asked, Hermione just shook her head in response but she felt nervous and embarrassed. "If you could remove your underwear, you can leave you robe on but in a moment I'll need you to lift it for me." Hermione flushed and avoided looking at anyone as she quickly tugged her underwear down and off careful not to expose anything as she did. "Would you like your husband to stay or not?"

"Whichever he likes." Hermione replied, not daring to look at him as she climbed back onto the bed. Severus Snape was not what anyone would describe as a kind or attentive man but he surprised even her who had seen his kinder side when he simply took her hand and squeezed it lightly without saying a word.

"Alright then." The mediwitch seemed to flap around at the other end of the bed for a moment before speaking again. "Alright, if you could bring your knees up until your feet are right up to your bottom and then drop your knees apart nice and wide for me...brilliant, now take deep breaths this might be uncomfortable but just let me know if you need me to stop."

It was uncomfortable, it was horrid and she felt herself unconsciously gripping her husband's hand but luckily it was only for a second before the mediwitch stepped away from her.

"OK then, you're two centimetres so something is probably happening, especially if the pain is at the top of your stomach and regular but you definitely don't look like you're in enough pain for it to be active labour so I think it's best if you go home and wait it out. Hopefully we'll see you in the morning but it might be longer than that so just try to go home and get some sleep, make sure to drink and eat something if you can to keep your energy up." Lyona told her. "I'll just leave you to get dressed."

Hermione felt both relieved and disappointed as she tugged her underwear back on and straightened out her robe. So she was probably in early labour...but not proper labour yet...

She felt odd once they got home, her contractions were more noticeable but it was probably because she was paying more attention to them now than she was before. She just wished it would hurry up, which she knew was a silly thing to wish for since she was well aware that labour took hours and hours and sometimes days but the waiting around was driving her batty!


	19. Chapter 19

Author's Notes: I really didn't realise this story would be so popular! I've never written this pairing before so I was really nervous about it and after the HUGE gap in uploading I thought it would be completely forgotten about but I'm so glad you guys are enjoying it! Today I am writing while listening to a huge playlist of possible wedding songs for my wedding...in five weeks! Eeeek, it's crept up so fast! Anyway here it comes everyone; Hermione's big day! As always a really big thanks to my beta JenJenSon for all her support and encouragement, also check out her stories because they're awesome!

By the way it's Gaelic and pronounced like Finlay, you'll get it later.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my spelling mistakes

What Happens Now?

Chapter Nineteen

The first thing Hermione did when she got home from the hospital was go for a bath. She sank into the lovely warm bubbles and tried to relax, tried not to think about labour or giving birth and just relax. It was no good, the pains hurt more than before, in fact they really hurt. Cutting her bath short after only about twenty minutes she climbed carefully out of the tub and dried herself before wrapping a nice big fluffy dressing gown around herself and heading back to the bedroom.

"Feel any better?" she heard Severus ask from the living room.

"Not really." She sighed, tugging on a pair of pyjama bottoms and a tank top before heading to the living room to find a book to occupy her mind with.

"Are you still feeling pains?" he asked.

"Yes, and now they actually hurt." She replied wincing.

"That is a good sign though isn't it?" he enquired, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll tell you what; when you do this, you can tell me the pain is a good thing!" she snapped, tossing her book across the room and instead kneeling on the rug on the floor and burying her face into the sofa.

"You should follow the mediwitch's instructions and go and rest." He told her, not glancing away from the book he was reading.

"There is no way in hell I can sleep through this!" she groaned. "It really hurts now!" Even as she said it, she felt stupid because she knew labour was supposed to hurt but in reality nothing could have prepared her for it. There was nothing she could quite compare to the painful tugging feelings coming from the top of her bump. Sulking through the pain she stayed knelt on the floor with her arms and face resting on the sofa. "How long have we been home?"

"About an hour." He replied. "Why?"

"Because I think we need to go back." She groaned, gripping the sofa cushion as tightly as she could.

"Are you sure? The mediwitch seemed quite certain that it would be some hours before anything happened, perhaps we should wait a bit longer." He replied, putting his book down and coming to kneel on the floor next to her.

"Am I sure?" Hermione asked in disbelief. "Am I- Argh! Yes I'm bloody sure!" Even as Severus helped her to her feet and towards the fireplace she felt disappointed with herself, she felt like a wimp for needing to go back to St Mungo's already. Labour was supposed to take hours and here she was less than two hours in begging to go back to the hospital when most first labours took between ten and twenty hours...

When they arrived back again the receptionist directed them to the same exam room as before where Hermione didn't get on the bed. Opting instead to stand and lean her hands onto the bed for support whenever she hunched over with a contraction.

"Back again already are we?" the cheery mediwitch from earlier asked, entering the room. "That looks more promising." She noted, observing Hermione gripping the bed in pain. "How often are the contractions now?"

"I would tell you if I-" Hermione broke off as another contraction hit her.

"That close...let's get you down the hall to a delivery room." Lyona said. "Can you walk or do you need a chair?"

"I shall help her, let's go." The dark haired wizard said gruffly, taking Hermione's arm and starting them towards the door.

"Have your waters broken at all?" the mediwitch asked as they headed down the hall; Hermione shook her head, gripping her husband for support the whole way down the hall.

They reached another room that was larger than the last and cooler, for which Hermione was grateful because she felt like she was boiling. One reaching the bed she leant over fisting the sheet tightly in her hands for a moment and then suddenly felt a pop before a trickle of warmth ran from her. She felt herself flushing in embarrassment, realistically she knew it was her waters breaking but it felt almost like she had wet herself with no way of holding it in.

"Well, that'd be your waters Hermione congratulations you're well on your way to having this baby." Lyona smiled. "Let's get these bottoms off of you and do another exam to see how far along you are."

Severus Snape hovered in the corner of the room; he had never felt so out of place. He was watching his wife in pain and there was nothing he could do that would actually help, he felt useless and clueless and it wasn't a feeling that he liked. He wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her until the pain went away, but it didn't work like that...there was only one way the pain was going to end and that was for the baby to arrive. Performing any large amounts of magic this close to birth could affect the baby's magic so it wasn't recommended and most witches, unless they had to have a caesarean section in an emergency had to suck it up and get through the pain.

He was broken out of his thoughts by the mediwitch telling him that Hermione was asking for him. He moved closer to the bed and felt his chest tighten at the pain evident on her face; he swept her hair back from her face as she spoke to him.

"I don't think I can do this for another ten hours..." she mumbled wearily, before groaning quietly as another contraction started only moments after the last had ended.

"I don't think it'll be that long Hermione." He told her, taking her hand. "You're Hermione Granger, you can do anything and you can definitely do this."

Suddenly Hermione felt her stomach lurch of its own accord, causing her to panic slightly as she began to lose control.

"Alright, Hermione did that feel like a push?" the mediwitch asked, Hermione didn't answer her though she just concentrated on trying to catch her breath. Then she let out a small whimper as her muscles once again lurched all by themselves. "Hermione, you need to listen to me now; it's time for you to push. Next time you feel a contraction coming take a nice deep breath and give me a nice big push."

Trying to follow instructions seemed so difficult when she couldn't actually make her brain focus properly, she didn't feel like herself right now. In fact it almost felt like this was a dream, a bad one. She tried to push whenever her body told her to, but she had no idea how many times she pushed or how long for.

"Hermione, I want you to slow down now; just take lots of deep breaths and try to breathe through the pushes alright?" she heard Lyona telling her. "Don't push too hard now, I can see the head right here so we just need to go slowly."

Hermione felt like screaming, she hadn't screamed yet...or at least she didn't think she had since she'd been biting her lip most of the time but she felt like it now. She instead tried to take deep breaths as she felt a horrid stinging pain start. Her eyes watered and she almost wished the pressure would go back up, the burning stinging feeling hurt too much. Once again she started to panic that she wouldn't be able to do this.

Severus saw Hermione starting to panic; her eyes were frantic as he caught her face between his hands, forcing her to look at him.

"You're so close Hermione, you're nearly there just look at me and breathe." He told her.

"I love you." She blurted out, she mentally cringed. She really hadn't meant to say that but she just felt the urge to tell him so strongly that it slipped out before she could stop it. "I'm sorry...I-Argh!"

"Breathe." He told her firmly, "Don't worry about that right now just look at me and breathe." She did as he told her to, staring helplessly into his dark eyes she tried to follow his breathing until finally she felt first one push when the head was finally out and then a second as the shoulders passed and then it was over. The pain seemed to just be gone, almost as if it never happened.

"Congratulations, you have a baby boy." Lyona told them, lifting a tiny bundle onto Hermione's chest. Her mind dimly registered the mediwitch clamping and cutting the cord in a muggle-like way before doing something else at the end of the bed. She didn't care though; she was busy staring into the bewildered eyes of her baby and the damp patch of dark hair on his head.

"You were right..." she whispered, glancing up at her husband. "It was a boy..." Suddenly the baby started to cry and the mediwitch smiled.

"That's good, we like to hear them cry." She told them. "Let's us know that their airways are good and clear."

"Hello..." Hermione murmured to the baby boy in her arms, feeling her eyes welling up with tears. "I've been waiting for you."

"I have never been more proud of you." Severus told her, pressing a kiss against her forehead. "Thank you."

"What should we call him?" she asked. "I like Fionnlagh..."

"Fionnlagh is acceptable." He told her.

"He needs a middle name too though." She murmured, stroking her sons' face as he settled down against her chest.

"Would you like to feed him now or after you've gotten cleaned up a bit more?" the mediwitch asked.

"Oh...now I suppose, I'm not quite ready to let go of him yet..." she replied quietly, trying to shift the baby carefully on her chest so that she could lift her top up. She felt a little silly at first, not really sure what to do since she'd never thought anything more of breastfeeding than a baby attached to a woman's breast but fortunately Fionnlagh seemed to know what to do as his mouth opened and his head bobbed around her nipple searching for it until he latched on and began sucking. "Oh! He's doing it!"

"Excellent, what a natural." Lyona smiled. "Just turn his body towards you slightly so that he's in more of a straight line, it'll be easier for him to swallow that way...that's it, perfect. I'll leave you for a moment then."

Hermione just stared at the tiny baby feeding from her, he didn't feed for long before dropping off to sleep against her but she supposed that since this was his first hour out in the world it was probably all very tiring for him. She didn't even notice she was crying until she felt a hand wiping her tears away from her cheek.

"Sorry." She whispered. "I'm not quite sure why I'm crying..." He didn't say anything though; he just sat in the seat he had pulled up next to the bed. "Oh! Would you like to hold him?" she asked, suddenly feeling selfish for not letting him hold his son sooner.

"How about Brian?" he asked her, causing her to glance at him in confusion. "Fionnlagh Brian."

"After Professor Dumbledore?" she asked, a smile creeping onto her face.

"That particular one of his middle names always...amused me." He replied, carefully taking the sleeping baby from Hermione and holding his son for the first time and smirked. "Fionnlagh Brian Snape...something tells me I'm going to end up with a Gryfindor son..."

Author's Notes: Told you you'd get it later.


	20. Chapter 20

Author's Notes: OK so once again there's been a large gap in updates. But hopefully I'll be able to do at least one a week now since my eldest is back at playschool a couple of days a week and I have discovered that Mario Kart keeps him very happy at home, plus Eleanor (11 weeks) loves all the bright colours and is happy to stare at Mario Kart also and laugh. (Such bad parenting I know but it's only for an hour like once a week or so, so it's not so bad).

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my spelling mistakes

What Happens Now?

Chapter Twenty

Hermione yawned and rolled out of bed at the sound of the high pitched crying; she padded over to the crib in the room and lifted her baby gently into her arms before heading back to the bed. She placed him on the bed and quickly changed his nappy using a quick 'lumos' for light and the supplies on the bedside table before outing the light again and settling in the bed to feed Fionnlagh. With a short snuffling around at her breast he began to feed and she let herself close her eyes and relax until he was done.

After he began to fall asleep on her she lifted him and winded him before returning him to his crib and then returning to her bed. She cast another 'lumos' to glance at the clock, it was half five in the morning so the next time Fionnlagh woke her it would be time to get up.

The past two weeks had flown by; the first few days had felt like some sort of blur. She didn't sleep much in the first two days because she had been feeding every hour and a half to two hours but after that the gaps between feeds became larger and she got the hang of everything more and more. She could still remember Severus' face when she had asked him to dress their son for the first time and it still made her chuckle.

The mediwitch had led Hermione to a bathroom to help her clean up properly and cast cleaning charms on her away from the baby, leaving Severus to dress Fionnlagh without magic. No magic on or too close to the baby for the first twelve hours meant that when Hermione came back to the room a short while later she found Severus still stood over the tiny baby in his hospital cot in a towel just staring at him with his hands held mid-air awkwardly.

"What's wrong?" she asked, panicking at first that something was wrong with their baby.

"He is rather small...I was uncertain how to proceed..." he said, hovering his hands above Fionnlagh again. Hermione had smiled and reminded him of the morning he had told her that she would learn as she went.

She glanced over at her husband in the dark; she had learnt to appreciate him in a different way in the past couple of weeks. With Fionnlagh he was as clueless as she was and it was a pleasant change to see him thrown slightly off balance; he seemed more human, more normal that way. In his sleep he was actually relaxed, unless he heard a noise and then he tended to tense up and wake...with one exception; he seemed to be deaf when it came to a baby crying! Hermione would wake up on hearing him cry and go to feed him; Severus wouldn't even twitch in his sleep! So Hermione gave up waking him for his help and just got on with it herself, she was breastfeeding at the moment anyway so he would have only been more moral support than anything, an extra pair of hands since he couldn't actually feed him.

It was a few days after giving birth that she had the time to recall the details of her labour and actually giving birth, she was glad the her husband hadn't mentioned her complete lack of tact in blurting out that she loved him. It was the truth but she hadn't planned to tell him, certainly not so soon and in the throes of labour! Still, she was just grateful that he hadn't mentioned it; then again he was a very private man and liked to avoid emotional complications so he was probably as embarrassed by the whole thing as she was. At least she could say that she was right though, she had told everyone from the start that she could do worse and that he would stand by her and be as good a husband as he could and he did. After a rocky start where he hadn't seemed involved or bothered at the beginning of her labour he had come through in the end, when she had started to panic and lose control he had been there to keep her grounded and encourage her.

"You're thinking again." A voice mumbled.

"Sorry." She whispered back. "There's a lot to think about is all."

"Well think about it tomorrow and go to sleep now, you'll only be complaining you're tired tomorrow otherwise." He replied.

"You mean later today, it's gone five." She corrected.

"Go to sleep woman." He told her firmly, rolling to face her and dropping an arm around her waist. "Make the most of every second in bed before we get disturbed."

"Disturbed?" she enquired.

"Yes, now shut that trap of yours so I can get at least another half hour of peace." He grunted. Hermione didn't test his early morning temper and instead let herself fall asleep beside him; it was easy in moments like this to forget that they weren't a traditional married couple. The moments when he would just hold her, or when they were physical...although granted she doubted that would happen any time soon since she was still a bit tender from giving birth, she wasn't really sore anymore or anything that had passed in the first couple of days but she doubted anything would feel exactly pleasurable to her at the moment.

Pleasure aside, she didn't exactly feel sexy either; her stomach now resembled a jelly in that it wasn't exactly massive but it seemed very soft and wobbly since it had been stretch to accommodate a growing baby. The stretch marks weren't exactly pleasant either but she had been assured that they weren't that bad and would fade to be barely visible.

She wasn't exactly a vain person in general and she loved her son so much already that she knew the damage to her body was worth it but it was still hard to see her once flat stomach and slim hips now look so different, her hips had widened and whilst she was only half a stone heavier than when she started she knew that her old skinny jeans would never fit her again without charming them to adjust and she doubted that her stomach would ever be perfectly toned and flat again also...still on the plus side her boobs looked amazing. There had been an uncomfortable few days where they had suddenly swollen up like rocks and felt very sore and it honestly looked like she'd had a boob job but then thankfully they adjusted and now she was the proud owner of 34DD breasts for now at least while they were still full of milk.

She wondered if things ever changed in future, for example if the marriage law was repealed or if Severus ever actually divorced her if anyone would see her as sexy again...after all she couldn't imagine most wizards would be attracted to a witch with marks from bearing another wizard's child. She hoped that he wouldn't divorce her of course and she doubted that he would; he was far too honourable for that for a start, he would see it as his duty to care for her and Fionnlagh until the day he died.

At some point throughout her internal musing she must have fallen back to sleep since the next thing she knew she could hear bells chiming loudly throughout the room. Not seeming startled in the least Severus just rolled over to bury his head under that pillow with a groan.

"What on earth is that?" she asked, suddenly grateful for the one way silencing charm on Fionnlagh's crib so that she could hear him but he couldn't hear Severus' snoring as the bells grew louder and louder before the torches all flickered to life to reveal two large bells dangling above the bed with green and red ribbon attached. This was just the start of the festive decorations though as the ribbons trailed their way across the ceiling and along the walls, accompanied by holly and berries and different coloured glass balls. The bells finally slowed and stopped and as the last note faded away Severus finally emerged from under the pillow.

"I knew she was going to continue that blasted tradition on purpose!" he snarled.

"Tradition?" Hermione asked, slowly sliding from the bed.

"Any of the teachers still at the castle over Christmas get a very festive wake up call at around six thirty every Christmas. One of the many reasons I used to try and avoid being here." He explained. Hermione walked through to the bathroom and came back to the bedroom wrapped tightly in her big fluffy Gryfindor towel before digging out her clothes.

"We'd best get up then and see what Father Christmas has brought everyone." She grinned, tugging on a pair of jeans and a giant Weasley knitted jumper with a picture of a cat on the front. "Christmas tradition." She said fondly, catching her husband's sour expression. "I _know_ you have one too so I expect you to wear it."

"I think not." He deadpanned.

"Just in here? No one is going to see you! Just while we go open presents, please?" she begged him, glancing over to their sleeping son before heading out of the door.

Severus Snape stood in the bedroom after his shower for a moment before cursing himself for going soft as he tugged the knitted jumper over his head. On stepping into the living area he barely heard Hermione's giggle escape her lips before he flicked his wrist to silence her.

"Not a word." He said gruffly. Hermione nodded with a huge grin on her face before he released the spell. His Weasley jumper was most comical due to the fact that it was actually black, Molly Weasley in an attempt to please him had knitted him a black jumper which would have been fine if it not for the cheery looking Christmas tree on the front of it.

"I have a present for you." Hermione smiled. "It isn't as perfect as I'd hoped but...I hope you'll like it anyway...Nerry?" The dark wizard blinked as a house elf appeared holding a large object under a cloth before handing it to Hermione and then vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. Hermione placed it in front of him and from the shape it almost looked like an owl cage.

"Have a look then." She prompted, urging him to lift the cloth. As he did so he was stunned temporarily at the sight of the docile bird; a phoenix...calmly perched in a cage at that...

"How?" he asked, unable to tear his eyes away from the unusual creature.

"Well...it's a long story but basically it doesn't have all of its powers at the moment." She replied. "It got hit with a dark curse by someone trying to catch it and as far as I can tell it's restricting it's magical abilities...but since you are the expert at curing all things dark or as close to an expert as we're going to get I thought maybe you could do something about that. It's not exactly tame but seems quite happy to be looked after so I thought if you could help it..."

"Then it would stay. Which given the loyalty of the bird it probably would _if_ I were able to do such a thing." He replied. "Don't get your hopes up Hermione, but it is still a wonderful thought. Thank you."

"Oh and look you have a present from Fionnlagh too." She grinned, handing him a small wrapped parcel from under the tree. Inside was a small frame with a photo of the three of them...probably the only photo that there was of the three of them as it was one that Harry happened to take when they hadn't been looking when he and Ginny had come to meet Fionnlagh for the first time.

"Look on top of the tree Hermione." He told her, still looking at the picture in his hands. Hermione reached up on her tip toes to reach the small box balanced on the top branches. It was labelled for her and inside she found a silver locket, upon opening it she found a moving picture of her son only a day old. "The locket was my mother's, I wanted you to have it but I didn't think a picture of me as a baby would please you quite as much as a picture of your own." He said, suddenly from right behind her.

"It's beautiful, thank you." She whispered, as he lifted it from the box to place around her neck. Hermione tried to keep control of her emotions at him giving her such a gift, something that belonged to his mother who she knew was dead and she knew it had almost broken him as a child...probably just one more event that pushed him towards Lucius Malfoy and the Dark Lord. He must care about her to give her such a thing, she didn't expect it to be love but it was something and she could live with being someone important to him even if he could never love her back.

Dragging herself away from her thoughts once more she realised that she was still leaning back against her husband's chest, stepping away she gestured to the remaining presents. Merrily she opened presents from the Weasley's, including one from Ron and Luna which Luna had clearly chosen and a present from Harry and Ginny also and one from Minerva that she quickly closed the lid on and hid it at the bottom of the pile. Severus also had a gift from Harry, one from the Weasley's and from Minerva and the rest of the presents were for Fionnlagh which whilst he couldn't open himself they decided to leave until later.

His cry alerted them to the fact that he was now awake, so Hermione went through the usual routine of feeding him, changing him and then dressed him before calling Lolly to watch over him while they went to breakfast. It would only be the third time Hermione had ventured out to meals in the hall so far, as she had been opting to take her meals in their rooms most of the time so that she didn't have to leave her little boy while he was still so young but when Minerva had visited she had pointed out that even just half an hour to eat in peace would do Hermione good and that one of the house elves would be more than happy to watch him for her and call her immediately if she was needed.

So the two new parents headed up through the castle to the great hall for a Christmas breakfast, Hermione grinned the entire way, of course she hadn't mentioned to her husband that he was still wearing a black knitted jumper featuring a brightly decorated Christmas tree on the front.

Last author's note: The name is pronounced Finlay but it's Gaelic so it's written Fionnlagh I did write it in the author's notes of the chapter he was born in to avoid all the reviews and pm's asking "how the hell do you even say that? What a stupid name?" etc. Hello? It's Harry Potter! There are plenty of random names in it and I have Gaelic roots so it doesn't seem so strange to me. OK on with the story.


	21. Chapter 21

Author's Notes: Just to any of you that either reviewed or to the several of you that private messaged me saying the labour was unrealistic, that was actually based on my first labour. I am completely aware that normally labour lasts a long time especially a first one however I didn't know I was in labour until about 3 hours before I had my son and that was only because my mum spotted it. I was so convinced that I would "just know" when I was in labour because everyone says "you'll know" that I didn't realise that the tiny twinges that didn't even hurt were me in labour! So to all of you saying that's really unrealistic my first labour was approximately 4 hours with my son born on 28th December on his due date at 8lbs 2ounces and 56cm long, my second labour was 1 ½ hours with my daughter born on 25th June this year two weeks late at 8lbs 9ounces and 54cm long. So I'm not just writing about something I have no clue about I have actually had two completely natural births with no pain relief other than gas and air with the first and nothing with the second not even a midwife there! Sorry rant over!

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my spelling mistakes

What Happens Now?

Chapter Twenty-One

Christmas day was coming to an end and Hermione and Severus found themselves sat in the living room in front of the fire, Fionnlagh was asleep in Hermione's arms where he had fallen asleep towards the end of his feed and Hermione was simply staring at him. The dark wizard smirked slightly at her obsession with staring at their son, she could waste infinite amounts of time just staring at him, stroking his skin, kissing his head or talking mindless baby talk at him.

"If you keep stroking his head his hair will probably fall out." He commented, glancing up again from his book.

"I can't help it, he's just so perfect." She murmured, carefully standing and taking him over to the small moses basket in the room to let him sleep.

"We'll see if he's perfect if he happens to inherit my nose." He muttered.

"Oh that probably won't be obvious for years yet, Molly said that most children's features change loads over the first few years even hair and eye colour, which would be a shame since his eyes are the most gorgeous blue..." Hermione said, sitting back on the sofa next to her husband. "Who'd have thought we could make something so perfect..."

"Quite." He sneered slightly.

"Oh don't be like that I didn't mean that offensively I just meant I'd have never in a million years have thought that we would be married with a gorgeous little boy." She said rolling her eyes at him.

"I am well aware I wouldn't have been anywhere on your list of potential suitors had you had a choice in the matter." He replied coolly, turning the page on his book.

"Well...probably not, not because there's anything wrong with you but just because I'd never really thought about it; after all there is an age gap and you were my Professor. In hindsight I'm very glad it was you I was paired with and not Ron. I mean yes I did love him but I'd never really thought of a future with him; I hadn't thought that far ahead with the war and everything but could you really imagine us married? It would be a complete disaster!" Hermione laughed to herself.

"I'm glad that you finally realised as much." He snorted in response. "Whilst I will admit that the red headed buffoon isn't quite as awful as I would like to believe that he is, he still possesses the average intelligence of a cave troll and would have driven you mad with his sheer incompetence."

"He's not _that_ bad...but I wouldn't have been able to discuss any of my wizarding degree with him nor any of my research or anything like that...and he certainly wouldn't have thought a library an important room in a house." She giggled girlishly for a moment. "For the library alone I should be grateful."

"No need, I am equally eager to have a the room to expand my reading selection." He smirked, then she saw him glance at the Christmas tree where their presents were still piled where they had opened them. "You missed one."

"No I did open it I just left the present in the box." She replied, trying to sound casual as the pink tinge in her cheeks gave her away.

"Minerva I presume." He drawled.

"Yes actually..." she replied, looking a little perplexed. She watched as he summoned a box from the other side of the room before tossing the lid off of it and lifting out a material object with the tip of his wand as if he were repulsed by it. "What is that?" She reached out to take the material off of his wand and held up the gift before she realised exactly what it was; a pair of muggle boxers with the words 'ride my broom' printed on them with a picture of a broomstick. She couldn't help but laugh loudly as she tossed them back to him. "I feel better now."

"And your gift?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. She hesitated before summoning her gift from the Headmistress. She opened the box with the lid in the way so that she could slip the little card out of the box first before handing him the box. He smirked before glancing back up at her. "I think she may have gotten this wrong, clearly this is a gift for me."

"I...I don't know if I can um- do that yet." Hermione said quietly. The mediwitch had told her that it was safe to do so as soon as she herself felt ready and comfortable but she wasn't sure she was quite ready yet.

"I didn't mean to imply that I expected you to." He frowned. "I thought there was a certain amount of time before you could engage in activities of the sort."

"Well...that used to be the case, Molly said when she had most of her babies that she was advised to wait around six weeks but Mary told me that as soon as I felt comfortable and wanted to then I could. I'm just not sure that I am yet..." she explained. Discarding the box for the moment the dark haired wizard reached to tug her to his side and placed a firm kiss on her lips.

"You know the muggle saying; all good things to those who wait." He murmured silkily, pressing another kiss on her temple as she snuggled against him.

"Severus come here quickly!" Hermione shouted from the living room, causing her husband to dart from the bathroom quicker than lightening in only his towel around his waist.

"What's the matter?" he asked, looking concerned until he saw the smiling baby on the rug where Hermione knelt. "Did he just..."

"Laugh! He's laughing and you're here to hear it!" she grinned. She reached her fingers down to tickle the boy's tummy, crawling them up to his chin causing the ten week old to erupt into giggles.

The two admired the little boy for a moment before Hermione lifted him into her arms to let him settle down, after all the laughing and wriggling on the rug he was now ready for his nap.

Once their son was settled Hermione took the time to eye up her husband stood still damp from his shower with the dark towel wrapped around his hips. That small trail of hair that led beneath the towel had her full attention when she heard him call her name.

"I'm sorry what did you say?" she blinked. He smirked and held out his hand tugging her against him.

"Come here witch." He growled, already lifting the hem of her top. She halted his progress lifting her top by pressing her lips against his in a fiery kiss. She was a little nervous, they had had sex several times since she had given birth now but only at night when the lights were either out or dim at least. Severus had yet to see her post pregnancy body in proper lighting and she didn't want him to be disappointed with it. The few stretch marks that she had had on her hips and stomach had already faded from their reddish colour to a pale pink and they would continue to fade or so everyone told her, but her stomach just seemed so...squishy compared to before. It was then that an idea sparked in her head.

"Wait here a moment." She told him quickly. "Just one moment I promise." Darting into the bedroom she tugged the forgotten gift box from under the bed and lifted out the sheer fabric of the black babydoll nightie. Stripping off her clothes and tugging it on she quickly checked her appearance in the mirror, the semi-transparent material was dark enough so that her stretch marks weren't obviously on display and it certainly made her feel more confident being a little covered.

She hovered in the doorway a moment before he noticed her and a heartbeat later she was being lifted into the air and pressed against the doorframe.

"You'll be the death of me you saucy little witch." He murmured, burying his face into her neck to taste the sensitive skin there. He lifted her weight again and practically tossed her onto the bed under him causing her to giggle.

"You're not that old yet you know!" she laughed, raising her hands to pull him down for a kiss. His hands skimmed her sides and gripped at her waist, fisting the flimsy material there before one hand slid lower between them to rub against her, finding that she hadn't bothered putting any underwear on much to his delight. He lowered his head to kiss the tops of her breasts, tugging at the material to reach as much of them as he could before diving lower, lifting the fabric to kiss her hip. Hermione tried to tug the material back down only for him to growl his protest and move her hands away. When her hands moved back down again he leaned over to the bedside table where the gift box sat to get the other item out. Holding the lace and ribbon ties up in front of her he expected her to protest but instead she bit her lip and grinned slightly as he reached forward to fasten her hands together before tugging them above her head and tying them to the bed.

"Where was I?" he murmured, eying the tied witch beneath him. "Ah..." He grabbed a handful of the black material before yanking it firmly, tearing it at the straps and tugging it from her body.

"Ah! Was that necessary?!" Hermione cried out, flushing as he appraised her now naked body.

"Completely." He replied, leaning to kiss her bared breasts. He remembered to be careful in his ministrations with them to avoid getting covered in milk and hurting them while they were still sensitive but none the less enjoyed their new size. His hands clutched at her waist and caressed and gripped the skin there alternately. He trailed his kisses down her stomach to her hip where he bit down lightly and sucked at the flesh drawing a moan from Hermione. His hand found its way back between her legs, stroking her sensitive mound and feeling how slick she was before sliding two fingers into her deeply. Hermione groans became louder, her body bowing as he began to move his hand at a steady pace. Dragging his fingers slowly from her he used the moisture on her fingers to circle her clit, within moments she was bucking under him; close to release. He bent over and swallowed her cries with a kiss as she fell over the edge; her body was still shaking from the aftershocks of her orgasm when he slid into her not stopping until her was buried fully inside her. He let out a groan of his own as he began to move at a pace that was none too gentle. It wasn't long before he couldn't hold back anymore, ploughing into her as deeply as he could before growling his own release as he came inside her.

It was a few moments before the couple regained their breath and Severus moved from on top of her. He lifted his arms to release Hermione's restraints allowing her to relax into the bed.

"Did you have to rip the nightie though?" she asked. "I'm sure even my wand can repair that..."

"If it is beyond repair then I will buy you a new one." He replied turning and dropping his arm over her to pull her closer. "In fact, I insist upon buying you a new one whether it's repairable or not." Hermione laughed and let herself snuggle against him to enjoy the peace while it lasted.

Check out my facebook page for updates on when to expect uploads etc. groups/523665654314569/


	22. Chapter 22

Author's Notes: We're here people! It's the end! The final chapter...feels kind of sad actually. Anyway I am finishing this and then will be continuing one or more of my other unfinished stories so if you've read/are reading any of my other HP stories or twilight ones then keep checking back or join my group on facebook  groups/523665654314569/

It's 'astarte lydianna fanfiction page'. I've been putting up trailers for some of my stories as well as banners for them and info on updates and ideas etc. So it's worth checking out.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my spelling mistakes J

A special note of thanks goes out to my beta JenJenSon for all her help and support throughout this story.

What Happens Now?

Chapter Twenty-Two/Epilogue

"Daddy, Daddy! You have to wake up, it's Christmas!" shouted the hyperactive three year old. Rosie was almost the spitting of her mother with her deep brown eyes and chestnut curls bouncing around her as she flung herself onto the large bed to wake her father, who groaned but didn't open his eyes.

"Rose! Stop bouncing up and down or Dad will kick us off the bed completely!" Fionnlagh told her, perching on the bottom of the bed.

"Who says I won't do that anyway?" their father grumbled, as he was forced awake.

"Daddy you can't be mean it's Christmas! Mummy said so!" Rosie protested, climbing into the bed next to her father, not fazed by his morning grumbles in the least.

"I said he shouldn't be mean on Christmas not that he couldn't." Hermione spoke up coming into the bedroom and handing Severus a cup of tea. "Happy Christmas." She smiled and then went and climbed into the bed on her side.

"Better than Minerva's Christmas wake up, but only marginally." He grunted, sipping his tea.

"You say that every year." Hermione smiled, wrapping her arms around their daughter and kissing the crown of her head. "Once you've had that tea we'll go and open presents."

"Presents!" Rosie squealed excitedly. "I saw a really big one!"

"Can't be yours." Fionnlagh snorted, tossing his dark hair from his eyes.

"Why?" the three year old demanded.

"Because you need to be good to get presents and you're just a pain in the-"

"Fionnlagh! Be nice!" Hermione chided, at seven Fionnlagh was tall for his age and slim; his skin not quite as pale as his father's; he had the same dark hair and dark eyes and even though his nose and chin were his mother's he looked much more like his father.

Hermione had taken over as Charms Mistress the September after she had had Fionnlagh. Luna and Ron's son Tristan and Fionnlagh both spent most weekdays at the Burrow with Molly Weasley or sometimes Ginny and the twins, so that Hermione and Luna could work and then just floo to retrieve them in the evenings. After a few years of teaching during which time Ginny had another two pregnancies which gave them one boy and one girl and Luna having had another son also Hermione began to long for another. She had that broody feeling and started to think about babies all the time and it wouldn't go away.

She had never asked for another since after the way the ministry instructed them to have their first she hadn't wanted to make Severus feel obligated into having another but eventually she gave in and talked to him about it. He had agreed that one more would be nice and so the following year Hermione had given birth to Rosie.

Rosie had brought her an almost symptom and trouble free pregnancy the entire way through but a more stressful labour to make up for it, nearly resulting in a caesarean section but fortunately she had arrived safely in the end at the last minute. Due to the stressful birth however, they had both agreed not to try for any more children and that two would be enough for them, while Ginny following after her mother was on pregnancy number four and child number five at the time and Luna and Ron had just decided to try once more to see if they would end up with a girl. Unfortunately for Luna it was another boy, not that she didn't love him as he was but a girl would have been nice.

They had officially moved into their new house the Summer after Fionnlagh had been born and had happily lived there since. The library seemed to be more like the family room than the actual living room since Hermione and Severus preferred to sit in there to read and so the children had followed suit. Hermione had to wonder where Rosie's sheer energy came from though, Fionnlagh had always been quite a quiet child and very much like his father and herself but Rosie seemed to act more like she would have expected a three year old Fred or George Weasley to act. It was exhausting!

Fionnlagh also seemed to inherit his parent's intelligence, he had already read most of the books he would require for his first year of Hogwarts and had a pure thirst for knowledge.

Hermione had become settled in her life, she had worried at first about the fact that she loved her husband so much when he had clearly told her he would never feel the same but as time passed and they continued to act just like any other couple she knew the words became less important. Even now he had never told her that he loved her although she suspected that he in fact did love her at least a bit, she felt loved at any rate. He didn't tell the children that he loved them either, not that she had heard anyway, but they knew that he did love them and that he would do anything for them; he just wasn't very good with expressing emotion in words directly.

That was what she found so surprising when given his gift this year. It was a simple gift; a pretty potions bottle containing a nice new bath soak that he had made for her but the thing that caught her attention was the fact that it had a tag on it. She couldn't recall ever actually having a tag on a gift from him before, there was a card on some flowers once but it simply said 'see you tonight, Severus' on it. This card said 'Hermione, Love Severus' on it. It wasn't an outright I love you but it was more than he had ever written or said before, it caused her heart to skip a beat and her stomach to flutter at the thought.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, causing her to blink and look up at him.

"You put 'love Severus' on it." She said quietly, pleading internally with herself not to cry over something so small that he probably hadn't even thought about writing at the time.

"Was I not supposed to?" he chuckled.

"Well...you've never, we never-" Hermione fumbled around for words for a moment before lowering her voice so that only he could hear her. "I didn't expect you to write something like that, it's not a word we use in our...situation." When she dared to meet her husband's gaze it was one of sheer surprise and perhaps a little angry... He looked at the children happily playing with their Christmas gifts on the floor before tugging her towards to kitchen.

"What kind of arrangement do you think we have?" he demanded quietly as soon as they were alone.

"I didn't mean it to sound like that, it's just we've never really talked about our relationship since before we had Fionnlagh." She replied. Now she felt embarrassed; something small that he probably hadn't given a thought too had been such a big deal to her that she had caused a scene over it.

"You think this is still some kind of ministry arrangement? Do you not think that if that were the case we would have divorced when the law was repealed two years ago?" he asked her.

"I don't think that, that's not what I meant." She replied. "I'm sorry that I even mentioned it now, it's just you've never written 'love' on anything before."

"You think I don't love you?" he asked softly.

"How could I not think that when you specifically told me that you could _never_ love me?" she whispered turning away from him before he saw her tears.

"Oh Hermione," he murmured, wrapping his arms tightly around her and pulling her into his chest. "we've been married eight years and you've spent the whole time thinking that I don't love you?" The only response he got was a slight sob as his wife gave in to her tears. "Of course I love you, how could I not love you? You've been my best friend, my lover, my...Hermione you've given me two children that I thought I'd never have not to mention made me happier than I thought I deserved, of course I love you."

"I love you too." She sobbed, clinging to his knitted Weasley jumper. She stopped and stepped back slightly eying the green and black stripy knitted jumper with a deep concentrated look on her face. "When did you decide you loved me, why didn't you say something?"

"You silly little witch, I didn't decide to love you it happened completely against my will, I assure you I was quite content being a lonesome grouch that didn't give a damn about anyone else but alas it would seem the fates and the ministry had other plans." He replied. "If you mean when did I realise I loved you then it was when I saw you in labour...you were in so much pain and there was absolutely nothing I could do to stop the pain for you...it hurt to watch you like that and I realised that it was because I loved you."

"When I told you I loved you..." she nodded.

"I didn't think it was the right time to discuss it and then it just never came up, I assumed you knew that we were no longer just a ministry arrangement." He sighed, rubbing her back gently with his hands.

"I should have..." she murmured, and then she laughed aloud. "I should have known you loved me when you wore that Weasley jumper at Christmas because I told you to...and you've done it every year since without me even asking, even though you do complain about it...you still wear the hideous jumpers just because I asked you to."

"You think I'd wear them of my own free will for any lesser reason?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow at her.

"You know this whole thing could have been avoided if you'd just be more open about your feelings..." Hermione chided him.

"This whole thing could have been avoided if you'd have just asked me." He snorted in response.

He was still the Snarky Potions Professor, she was still a stubborn Gryfindor that wasn't afraid to get on his nerves; some things never change.


End file.
